Nostalgic About the Future

Distant memories of characters in sci-fi novels, films and TV shows are used as inspiration for Keenkee’s SS20 collection. As the season commences, Korean-born designer Kee Kim celebrates the start of the future with a mixture of fabrics and textures. The virtually-produced abstract prints run a gradient motif, adding a certain aura to the perfectly crafted paneled shirts and pleated shorts. Bright hues are softened by contrasting subdued shades, and glossy fabrics are paired with lighter materials to create a sense of balance. Loose-fitting mauve trousers are designed with a coordinating cropped blazer jacket, proposing silhouettes that stretch gender rules. Paired underneath is a violet-colored jacket, which elongates the entire outfit and contributes to the contrast of purple tones.

www.keenkee.net

Fashion

Acta Non Verba

Peter Do launched his eponymous New York-based brand in 2018 to much acclaim. Since then, the designer has proved consistent yet surprising, making more than just a uniform for the modern woman. It all started with a flurry of sketches during his high school years in Philadelphia. These days, since he was granted the LVMH Graduate Award, Do has taken the temperature of women’s desire and and locked it into each of his designs. After returning from Paris, where he studied under the expertise of Phoebe Philo at Celine, Do amassed relationships with nine stockists, designing out of his friend’s apartment, where he showed his SS19 collection . Philo herself once said, “there is absolutely a gap in the market for 30-something women and, the more I look at it, the more I feel there needs to be a sense of ease and choice.” Do clearly didn’t take that lightly.
With Do’s SS20 collection, color trumps all. Textures with an enigmatic opacity do a lot to display the relationship between shape and tone, evoking the modern masters that made America their home: Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still and Ellsworth Kelly. It can be said that Rothko explored the spectrum of single shades like no other, and the designer deftly conjures this fascination for SS20. The restraint and care taken by Do in his latest collection builds on the wardrobe of a contemporary metropolis, while serving the sensitive demands of the modern woman from New York to the world over.
www.peterdo.net

Fashion

Selling Sunset

After spending months in isolation, for many of us lucky people, this time has been spent dreaming of where we would go once things got back to what we know as ‘normal’. The desire to travel is embedded in many of us, and even more so in our instagram-saturated world that lets us peek into the furthest corners of the world from our own home. This glimpse of different places is enough to spark the drive to explore in the physical world. Louis Vuittons Jacques Cavallier Belletrud has embodied such desire and created a scent that captures a place, triggering memories or creating desire or even triggering an emotion to whomever has the pleasure of breathing it in. Part of an enchanting tryptic, California Dream portrays the enchantment of a sunset, a moment that prolongs the happiness of a summer’s day. The new Cologne Perfume is light and citrusy, cloaking the skin with all the emotion of a beautiful sunset. “My starting point was to create warmth that envelops coolness,” explains Jacques Cavallier Belletrud as he does so using notes of citrus, mandarin, musk and floral aspects the master perfumer creates a blend that embodies the warmth, earthy and fresh sense that comes with a sunset.

www.louisvuitton.com

Fashion

Comfortable Classics

Known for its classic and reliable products, Calvin Klein Jeans almost always hits the mark when it comes to giving the customers what they want. After months of isolation and quarantine, people, as is to be expected, are soothing their invisible wounds with a nice salve of retail therapy. As we prepare for a summer like no other, we are rethinking our habits and adjusting ourselves accordingly. The current situation has, if anything, given us a new lease of life, and a refreshed outlook on our impact on the collective world. Now it seems that sustainability and minimalism are again on-trend and Calvin Klein Jeans reflects that with a new collection of basic summer-wear with innovations on denim and sustainable style. Hoping to leave a message of positivity, the aspiration of this selection is to inspire positive change. Known for their unique details, design and material innovation, excellent fit and function this range of comfortable clothing ticks all the boxes. Vintage washes and cropped denim are reminiscent of 90s style, reminding us of a simpler time. Seasonal prints and minimal accessories further the ranges spirit of youth and style.

Nine Colors, Nine Eyes and Nine Hearts

In these times of uncertainty, isolation and worry we search for something to take our mind from the harsh realities and transport us to another place, even if only for a moment. Is it not the job of the artist to bring our attention to something else, to make us think in a new way? Louis Vuitton commissioned artist LuckyLeftHand to decorate the façade of its Paris headquarters during the current lockdown. The fresco covers 280m2 and is made up of 14 colourful, sleek and playful paintings in the artist's minimalist, condensed style. Taking inspiration from 1960s and 70s aesthetics the artist aims to transport passerby-ers to the landscapes of Hossegor. “I wanted to create this wall painting to offer Parisians a colourful stroll past the 14 windows, evoking a summer holiday while still representing the temporary period we are going through. The hands placed a metre and a half apart is a nod to what we’re currently experiencing. I hope this wall painting’s bright, saturated colours and rainbows made of big, curved lines will bring the positive energy we all need right now,” said the artist in a statement. www.louisvuitton.com

Fashion

#MiuMe

Among the many social media campaigns that have been announced in recent weeks is Miu Miu’s #MiuMe campaign. The initiative invites a diverse cross-section of people from around the world to use their mobile phones to film themselves going through their wardrobes, wearing pieces by Miu Miu. Notable figures from the realms of sport, art, dance and fashion, as well as Miu Miu fans are free to present themselves in any manner, elevating the selfie to a statement about identity. From the participants' homes around the world, these FaceTime moving-image self portraits will be collated and curated for the first stage of the brand’s ongoing project that stands to produce bundles of noteworthy content.

Brands Giving Back: AGL

Another brand doing their part to combat the ongoing pandemic is AGL shoes. In an effort to express gratitude to the dedicated healthcare workers, 30% of the proceeds made on agl.com for the month of April, will be donated to benefit Doctors of Marche Region - Province of Fermo, Italy - and provide them with personal protective equipment.

“We are very fortunate to be able to stay safe at home and we think It’s our responsibility to take care of our families and be grateful. Above all, It’s time to utilize our resources to help others, in particular the people who are running the risk of their own lives to protect ours”, the Giuti sisters.

Brands Giving Back: Louis Vuitton

March 2020 saw the rapid closure of galleries and museums across the world as the spread of COVID-19 continued to accelerate, leaving such institutions battling for space in the online sphere in an effort to keep the art world afloat in these trying times. Now, as lockdown restrictions begin to ease, we are seeing rays of hope as galleries and cultural institutions plan to re-open. Italy, the hardest-hit country in Europe, is hoping to welcome museum visitors again on May 18, but will require social distancing in the galleries. While the Antwerp museum will open on May 19, as will the Old Masters Museum.

Berlin has planned to reopen its museums on May 4, with precautions such as plexiglass dividers at ticket booths, self-scanning tickets, reduced visitor capacity, and more frequent cleanings. If these precautions are successful, other countries around the world will likely follow suit as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.

Bottega Veneta Pre-Fall 2020

The Pouch bag, iconically associated with Bottega Veneta, is a perfect example of Italian craftsmanship and excellently formulated leather. For Pre Fall 2020 the recognized clutch is further evolved and presented alongside a slew of bold accessories. Elevated with a flat square silhouette and cascading leather fringe, the handbag can be folded over itself or worn over the shoulder with an adjustable strap. With Nappa being a major player in the new pre-fall selection, the Italian label presents the BV bold shoe, the Chain Cassette and the Chain Tote to match all in soft, full grain leather. “Straight-forward. Bold and confident. Subtlety elevated. Pre Fall 2020 celebrates Bottega’s heritage made relevant for today”, Daniel Lee.

Brands Giving Back: Zegna

As Italy is under lockdown, companies are scrambling to aid those at the front line. Italian luxury menswear group Zegna has entered the battle with the ongoing pandemic, repurposing two of its factories in Switzerland and Italy to manufacture 280,000 hospital suits, as well as announcing a €3 million donation to Italy’s Civil Protection Agency. Aiming to help doctors, nurses, researchers, and volunteers operating on the front-line as well as donating to the Piedmont region in northwest Italy. “The pandemic we are all facing is a call for people around the world to take action. Each of us must do our part, in every way possible, to stop this global emergency,” says Gildo Zegna, CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna. www.zegna.com

Fashion

Woolrich Summer Jackets

As the weather starts to improve and our spirits along with it, we start to dream of places to go and people to see and above all, we dream of the outfits we will wear on such occasions. Although the weather is as unpredictable as, say, life itself, Woolrich’s SS20 collection boasts a colorful selection of durable garments ideal for mixing, matching and layering suitable for a range of climates. The sophisticated Peony Coat in Extra Light Ripstop is not only water repellent but also wind resistant – perfect for a casual commute. The use of micro and macro checks add an element of playfulness and much-needed variety to the collection. While the clever use of color-blocking boasts a vibrant personality and feminine touch. Summer models are available in many color variations such as red, green or the iconic pink check pattern, all perfectly suited for those long evening-stretches. The combination of playful color, durability and functional design employs the outerwear brands mantra: Woolrich Keeps you Warm, Dry and Protected.

Prada Possible Conversations

Now, in the digital age people have never been more connected. Thanks to the internet we have a constant resource for communication and entertainment. Yet during this time of isolation we are reminded that we are a global community, one that is economically, socially, and politically interdependent. As we stay in isolation we note the benefits of the internet and how lucky we are to be able to stay connected even when we must stay apart. Prada now debuts Prada Possible Conversations, a series of live dialogues between thinkers, cultural arbiters and fashion figures from across the globe in an effort to bring people together during this surreal time.

The talks will start off on 14 April at 6pm CET with author and curator Pamela Golbin and Alexander Fury, features director and critic. The two will discuss the topic ‘Fashion in Times of Crises’, and their dialogue will be broadcasted via Prada’s instagram, allowing the audience to pose questions to the speakers. For each conversation Prada will donate to UNESCO, whose work during the COVID-19 pandemic focuses on the importance of culture, creativity, and education for over 1.5 billion students affected by the crisis.

BOSS ALIVE Capsule Collection

With the release of the BOSS Alive eau de parfum, a complex scent that invites you to live life to the fullest, BOSS Womenswear introduces an eight-piece capsule collection to match. Through contrasting notes of vanilla, citrusy apple, rich plum and jasmine scents that burst with positive energy. A play on this juxtaposition, the Alive capsule mirrors both masculine and feminine ideals throughout with both sharp tailoring and softer silhouettes, in a palette of white, black, and shades of pink.

A relaxed, double-breasted suit in white stretch cotton is a focal point of the capsule, paired with the “Feel ALIVE” slogan-print T-shirt. The collection also includes a number of joy-bringing numbers such as a soft merino wool sweater in blush pink, an essential addition to every woman’s wardrobe. With options that allow one to adapt to whatever the day might bring such as a flowing silk dress with a short-sleeved blouse in sheer black silk taking the collection from day into evening. Tailoring to a diverse range of women, the BOSS Alive capsule collection has options for everyone with versatile, timeless designs.

Dior Maison

In 1947, Christian Dior opened a boutique called “Colifichets”, at the same time as his better-known couture house at 30 Avenue Montaigne. A quick success, the boutique expanded soon presenting an array of home accessories. Consistently developing alongside fashion and beauty creations, the boutique collaborated with the likes of Maria Pergay and Gabriella Crespi to create original pieces.
Revisiting the plant-filled atmosphere of the SS20 ready-to-wear show from Maria Grazia Chiuri, the Dior Gardens line, designed by Cordelia de Castellane, features new pieces that elevate table settings. The delicate motifs that adorn the different looks unfold with grace and refinement across earthenware plates.
A highlight of Dior Maison’s is the Copacabana collection. Seaweed motifs adorn plates while vases and decorative glass balls transform into precious aquariums populated with fish and coral. In these extended hours spent at home, Dior invites you to bring a touch of magic into your home and add a little extra comfort to the simple pleasures of everyday life. As Christian Dior himself wrote, “Living in a house which doesn’t reflect who you are is a bit like wearing someone else’s clothes.”
www.dior.com

Fashion

Woolrich Hike and Seek SS20

Taking inspiration from earthly elements, the Woolrich SS20 sustainable collection is designed to embrace the privilege of the outdoors. Referencing the challenges of the Appalachian Mountain Trail, the campaign focuses on durability and utility. Inspired by iconic shapes such as the Hunting Jacket, and patterns like the Shadowbark camouflage from 1987, the pieces reflect the will to merge tradition with novelty. With an emphasis on layering, the garments in the collection are multi-purpose, an example being the quick dry merino wool that works as a super-stretch second skin. For their SS20 collection Woolrich have utilised sustainable technology and methods that minimize fabric wastage. Featuring materials such as Cordura, Pertex and Solotex the range boasts attributes like extreme durability, high air permeability, and a super-stretch essence that tie in to the theme, Hike and Seek. Where possible, they employed a focus on biodegradable composition of materials as well as a Green Cycle approach guided by a ripstop recyclable nylon. Already available online, the collection will be in selected retailers as soon as they reopen their doors.

GUESS x J Balvin Colores

Iconic fashion brand teams up with international superstar to create an exclusive ‘GUESS x J Balvin Colores’ capsule collection. For their second collaboration Guess and Balvin have developed a collection inspired by the Colombian artists new album Colores. The campaign, directed by Nicolai Marciano showcases the vibrant clothing throughout the kaleidoscopic streets of Medellín, the city Balvin hails from. Incorporating red, yellow, green, blue and purple tones in each piece the robust collection for men, women and kids successfully blends J Balvin’s musical stylings with a colorful ready-to-wear collection. Styled by model and DJ Sita Abellan and shot by fashion photographer Tatiana Gerusova, the campaign shows Balvin accompanied by fans of all ages showcasing the beauty of Colombia as well as “the surging artistic vibes throughout the city and country.” www.guess.eu Following their first successful collaboration The Vibras collection, Colores has allowed the artist to further expand his role in the creative and design process. “It provided wonderful creative inspiration to envision a new album and corresponding new fashion collection together from the beginning – both connected to how I’ve been exploring new music through a lens of individual colors.”

Camper Together with Pop Trading Co.

Back in 2006 footwear brand Camper had the genius idea to develop an initiative to collaborate with leading designers and creative thinkers from the worlds of fashion, art and architecture to design and create exclusive products as well as unique stores. The concept, known as Camper Together has been hugely successful resulting in numerous fruitful collaborations with names like Kengo Kuma, Jonathan Olivares and Doshi Levien. The latest collaboration with Amsterdam-based brand Pop Trading Co aims to push the boundaries of contemporary design while staying true to the brands distinct heritage. Founded in 2013, Pop Trading Co initially began as a distribution company for the Benelux market but has since developed their own line that fuses menswear with the brands strong skateboard heritage. For S/S20 the Dutch brand presents two distinct styles, the first style taking inspiration from the Camper archives, revisiting the Camper Runner XL sneaker. While the second style has a more relaxed sensibility, updating the Chassis Chukka boot with a rubberised sole and crepe rubber foxing tape. The unisex styles are available in a choice of colors and will be available from April 3.

FF Earrings

From handbags to phone covers to sunglasses, the Fendi ‘F’ has become a distinctive emblem of elegance, craftsmanship, innovation and style synonymous with the Roman brand. Though the garments themselves usually scream feminine grandeur and dignity, Fendi accessories have branched out to become statement makers that complete the image: A Fendi woman exudes a unique confidence and exudes a luxe sensibility. We have witnessed the Fendi symbol worked into jewelry but now the Maison has taken it a step further presenting the FF Earrings, straight from the Women’s Spring/Summer 2020 catwalk. Paying homage to the Maison’s signature FF logo, these contemporary and feminine pieces combine Fendi’s sophisticated design with a new futuristic flair. Available online and in FENDI boutiques worldwide, The FF Earrings are realized in plexi with gold-finish metal ware and come in two sizes and four color combinations. The design allows the pair to be worn on both ears with a single F or on the same ear recreating the FF logo with hues of brown with a tortoiseshell-effect, as well as yellow, green and transparent plexi.

Paris Fashion Week Women's - Recap

CHANEL

Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Piaggi met in 1974. For a decade Karl Lagerfeld constantly drew her for years to record her aesthetic, her ability to mix vintage, costume, daily finds. Karl described her as “a great performer”, but also as “ the writer of the play”. There are many photographs, mostly in black and white, portraying the power duo. One in particular caught the eye of Virginie Viard: in the old photo Piaggi is wearing a skirt suit, the skirt at floor length paired with a jacket with pronounced shoulders and cinched waist. Lagerfeld’s instead sported a striped jacket and matching gilet together with jodhpurs pants and riding boots with contrasting flaps. Lagerfeld loved the reinterpretations of classic codes of costume history: the military uniform, the riding clothing vocabulary, with humor and a witty attitude. Virginie Viard celebrated this image in her latest collection for Chanel, one year after the passing away of her mentor. The reinterpretation of jodhpurs pants, with open sides at its bottom through a series of CC press-stud buttons. At times the split would be along the whole leg, transforming it into a flared trouser with jackets of Edwardian allure. There were variation to the theme: long tweed coat paired with bustiers and shorts, skirts with a deep split, cropped lace tops, dresses with balloon sleeves and jackets with ruffled collars reminiscent of the prevalent trend of Romanticism from the 1820s through the mid-1840s Viard is trying to achieve her own vision on womanhood, on what means today power dressing, with simple elements and great courage to bring in Chanel her very own point of view. “One is happy as a result of one's own efforts once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness: simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self denial to a point, love of work, and above all, a clear conscience.” (George Sand, Letter to Charles Poney, 1866)

Miuccia Prada knows how to nod at the 40s (one of her favorite decade) and create a collection modern, playful and jovial true to the spirit of the house. Miu Miu is the fun and experimental side of Prada Group. It tells a story of a woman far from traditional aesthetic values, subversive, emancipated and a true feminist. Rebellious and seductive. Set at Palais d’Iena designed by legendary architect Auguste Perret breaking the rules of the space and setting a new aesthetic, AMO, the counterpart of the iconic architectural office OMA directed by Rem Koolhaas and long time collaborator of Mrs. Prada, worked in antithesis to the nature of the building: metallic structures with LED lights around each concrete column, a velvet element at the base, cinema chairs together with wooden ones. Irreverent and playful, juxtaposed to the solemnity of the modernist Palais d’Iena are the set where Miuccia Prada created her Miu Miu Fall Winter 2020. Long crushed silk satin dresses in vibrant colors, yellow, blue, pink, paired with wool coats. Transparencies, paired with big furs, cinched at the waist creating a wasp like silhouette and beaded hairpieces. It’s the contradiction of that special decade, the wartime, the glamorous Hollywood - Joan Crawford to Bette Davis, Ava Gardner to Rita Hayworth - but also Italian Neorealism - Sofia Loren, Anna Magnani, Ingrid Bergman for Roberto Rossellini’s Stromboli - stars of the time, despite the imposing hardships post WWII. There is a certain austerity but also liberation, and positivity. Resonating today’s current dramatic world climate. There is no much difference between the fear of a war and the fear of an strong enemy without face. Miuccia Prada has always been a visionary in this sense: her wish for hope, for joy, fierce in these obscure times.

“She walk through a forest of vertical bars/ and she dashes / she needs to jump to move forward/ moving forward to play” The show notes welcoming us at our arrival at la Garde Républicaine, a museum dedicated to the traditions of the Garde Républicaine, the ceremonial unit of the French National Gendarmerie located in the 4th arrondissement created to presents its traditions from 1802 to the present day, including its infantry, cavalry, and military bands. What better venue for Hermès to breath its equestrian inspiration? A myriad of bars recalling jumping obstacles in equestrian competitions with their primary colored stripes and placed vertically to form a forest. Walking through to loose yourself. Yellow, red, green, blue, brilliant tones Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski brought to the classic palette of Hermès. Inspired by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, one of her modernist heroes, present at the show, Vanhee-Cybulski designed a collection of warm elegant timeless staple true to her signature for the Maison. With exquisite craftsmanship and a peculiar attention to details: the silk carrè and Kelly buckles placed at the neck line of pulls-bodes, horse-blanket coat with leather pockets, pleated skirts knitted and doubled with silk, leather pinafores with quilting. Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski ‘s vision, distant from seasonal trends, also introduced a strong feminine silhouette reminiscent of equestrian riding jackets. A “manifest of purity,” as she called it, with a strong graphic allure and minimal white cotton paired with boots and derbies. “What is useful must me beautiful/ A style is created to changes us/small gestures don’t exist/ At the end of this research/there will be equilibrium”.

Paris Fashion Week Women's - Recap

SAINT LAURENT

Cy Twombly, one of the most relevant contemporary artists of our time, who created mostly large-scale paintings with aggressively big gestures and his signature scrawling scribbles, he was anguished by the flood of people and his only desire was to paint. Yves Saint Laurent was not far from that. He repeatedly admitted additionally his benign shy. Nevertheless his work, like Twombly’s broke the rules of what was considered the norm. He developed a multitude of highly original approaches, including changing the way modern women dress, putting them into pants with his 1966 Le Smoking” collection, or into safari jackets. Both famously worn by Betty Catroux, his close friend, muse and almost “his double” for her uncanny resemblance as mentioned in one of the video accompanying the ongoing exhibition “ Betty Catroux, Yves Saint Laurent: Feminine Singular”, at Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris. Curated by Anthony Vaccarello it celebrates the the pair’s lifelong friendship and the donation of 180 items of clothing from Catroux to the foundation. “I am just giving back what was given to me“ Catroux remembers in the conversation with Vaccarello recorded for the exhibition. Her icy and androgynous look was perfect for Monsieur Saint Laurent’s creations and loved to gift her couture looks and often unproduced prototypes. He loved to see her wearing his clothes. But Yves Saint Laurent was ahead of time. His animalier prints collection in 1982, or constant inspiration from art: Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian. He often declared how he abhorred bourgeoisie, and its pedantic colorless lifestyle. He was a master of the unconventional and contradictions. He matched sheer dresses (a scandal at the time) with exquisite embroideries, or the bon-ton silk bow shirt with pants. Since his very beginning at the maison, Anthony Vaccarello expressed a strong respect for the legendary designer. His first collection was a strong homage to his work but also an interpretation through his own eyes. Now at his 4th year as Creative Director of Saint Laurent , Vaccarello embodies the desire of strong powerful sensuality for women. For Fall Winter 2020 Vaccarello revisits Monsieur Yves apparent strident contrasts. Everything is a matter of tension between discipline and pleasure. “I wanted to find the balance between control and abandonment, the tension between discipline and pleasure that defines the modernity of Saint Laurent”. For Fall Winter 2020 Vaccarello explored latex declined in pants, dresses, skirts. Combined with wool blazers – mostly in Monsieur Saint Laurent’s signature vibrant colors emerald, purple, blue - and bow shirts between nocturnal life and well-mannered girls. “For Saint Laurent, elegance is mandatory but it also goes with perversity; one without the other would only be plain bourgeoisie or vulgarity […] I was really stimulated by that tension this season, it made me want to break the codes that are too conventional. Saint Laurent is about danger”.

20 different looks. 20 different soundtracks: each created out of vinyls mixed live by sound artist Calx Vive. Calx Vive’s first collaboration with Rei Kawakubo dates back to 2014 when he was asked to create a sound installation for the freshly opened Dover Street Market retail space in New York featuring all CDG lines and the brands under its umbrella like Junya Watanabe , but also brands like Rick Owens, Saint Laurent, Thom Browne, among the rest, who have created site-specific work for the store. In 2014 Kawakubo declared how she lost interest in creating what looked like real clothes. When 2017 the Japanese designer was asked by the Met to be the protagonist of a new exhibition, Kawakubo designed it closely with curator Andrew Bolton, to mirror her poetic to the core. Divided into distinctly Comme themes rather than chronologically: Absence/Presence, High/Low, Fashion/Antifashion and Object/Subject. Comme des Garçons Fall Winter 2020 is non other than a beautiful vocabulary of Kawakubo own obsession to these themes. Her own dictionary rendered into 20 looks, revisiting her most iconic collections: 1997’s ‘Body Meets Dress-Dress Meets Body’, 2005’s ‘Broken Bride’ , 2012’s “White Drama”, 2015’s “Blood & Roses”, 2017’s “The Future of Silhouette,” and more. The bride veil suspended by a transparent structure , the lumps and bumps (the nickname of her 1997 collection), voluminous gown that combined clouds of foam with restrictive protuberances, and geodesic-like structures. On the show notes she questioned: “Is it not impossible to make something completely and utterly new, since we are all living in this world? “ She described her work as “a perpetual futurist”, working from “within the Comme des Garçons world.”. Visceral, and unforgiving.

Every Italian guest present at Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Fall Winter 2020 RTW show for Dior undoubtedly felt that nostalgia, that languid feeling when listening to Roisin Murphy’s cover of legendary Lucio Battisti’s “Ancora tu” written in 1976. The show continues the ode to feminism and to women’s world with a collection inspired by the seventies, when Maria Grazia Chiuri was a child blossoming into a teenager. These crucial coming of age years are the starting point of the collection: her mother’s haute couture atelier, the rebelling women in Italy using fashion, literature, science to assert themselves. Crucial figures like Carla Lonzi and her book “Autoritratto” published in 1969, a collection of conversation with relevant figures of the art world of the time in Rome. On the 23 of March a relevant retrospective celebrating Italian women artists and based on Lonzi’s manifesto and vision - will be held at Rome’s National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art supported by Dior. Lonzi’s work as feminist but also as art critic first serves as inspiration to the manifesto –like sentences build in the set design of Maria Grazia Chiuri show in the form of illuminated sign suspended from the ceiling. In collaboration with Claire Fontaine collective the setting highlights crucial moment of women’s emancipation but also underscore the contradictions in our society. Claire Fontaine collective uses the language and slogans of non-reformist feminism : “I say I”, Women raise the Upraising”, Women are the Moon that Moves the Tides”. While on the floor models walk on a new version of Fontaine’s work “Le Monde Pixèlisè” where pages of Le Monde are all glued together. Inspired by a photo portraying Henri Matisse By Robert Capa taken in 1949 is again a source of dialogue, of necessity to shed light on to questioning our world. It’s a succession of the frees spirit of women against their unrecognized role in the 70s: the small bandana on the head, the handcrafted silk fringes, long pliseé dresses and skirts paired with chuncky checked wool jacket , mantels, but also Chiuri’s signature sheer long dresses worn with flat combat boots, mary-janes and slippers. In the collection Chiuri pays homage to Monsieur Dior’s love for check but also to Marc Bohan who was at the helm of the maison in the 70s.

The soundtrack played and sung by Yohji Yamamoto haunted us all. Its beautiful melancholy, gentleness, heartrending notes. Yohji-san has been reflecting on the passing of time, on the meaning of life itself for quite a while. The passing away of legends Azzedine Alaïa, Karl Lagerfeld – who both deeply respected Yamamoto - and the recent decision of Jean Paul Gautier to stop designing, had a huge impact on him. Losing his antagonists, his rivals, like he phrased. For Yohji Yamamoto history has always been an interesting point of investigation, a common ground with Alaïa. The two also shared a great friendship for decades. In 2005 an exhibition, ”Juste des Vetements” – and what a better title as Yamamoto has been describing himself as “just a dressmaker” - at the Musée Des Arts Décoratifs celebrated hiss inspiration and respect towards the iconic French Couturiers: Cristobal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Mademoiselle Coco Chanel, just to mention few. Rigorously innate to Yohji-san, that spirit of research and rebellion to the fashion establishment, to the homogenisation of the industry, has been constantly present in his work. Journalists have tried to phrase the delicacy, strength and purity of his deconstructed poetry where imperfection, laceration, distortion have always been a source of beauty rather than glamour. In Yamamoto’s eyes fashion shows resemble Noh, the Japanese musical theatre performed since the 14th century (and the oldest form of theatre in the world) where the actors walk to the centre of the stage slowly, without talking, and almost without acting. Since years now Yamamoto shows have been characterized by slow peace walking models. They wear each outfit solemnly and you cannot but feel the layers of work and emotions through each garment. In the latest show the Japanese designer experimented a complex succession of deconstructed garments with a look at the 19th century including the late 19th century riding-dress-inspired ensembles with their military simplicity. The declinations of references are immense as well as the new vocabulary created by Yamamoto for the collection: strings recalling the figure-framing style of severe corsetry, the crinoline here knitted or pleated, the low waistlines, woven sculptural dresses revealing graciously the skin and merging with a jacket, veiled overskirts, hand painted brush strokes on long coat created with a manipulation of fabric and drapery. The poignant feeling inside any Yohji Yamamoto’s show defies definition. The legendary designer, almost at his 50th anniversary in the industry, never ceases to evoke deep emotions through his work. The invite anticipated all: a soft wool fabric sample. To accomplish understanding you must feel.

Milan Fashion Week Women's - Recap

PRADA

Raised up and voyeuristic yet strangely detached we viewed Prada’s Fall/Winter womenswear collection that portrayed a surreal sense of glamour. The selection of pieces compared ideas of femininity against stereotypically masculine components. A boxy belted jacket is paired with a fringed skirt that seems to exude a sense of confidence, a sporty aesthetic is enriched with elongated basketball jerseys and sneaker-boot hybrids. The extreme colors, utility accessories and lingerie components further the collections nod to Miuccia Prada’s world where fashion equates power.

Any designer worth their salt carefully conceptualises a collection and even better if they can back it up with some literature or text. The 1886 novella Flatland - A Romance of dimensions was the inspiration behind Missoni’s Fall collection ‘20 that was a visual love poem to geometry. A story of feminine strength, empowerment and self awareness presented beautifully with horizontal, diagonal and vertical stripes littering the runway with earthy burnt tones brightened by dashes of red and turquoise. Each aspect from colors to patterns to silhouettes shape the collection in the freewheeling Missoni spirit.

The current approach in fashion seems to be attempts of redefining and challenging gender norms employing new meanings onto femininity and masculinity. Yet Fendi’s Fall collection seemed to embrace the double standards that accompany the male gaze whilst simultaneously exuding a sense of self gratification - dressing for oneself rather than for the world. A balanced selection of structure, softness, rigor and sensuality is reflected with accentuated waists, strict silhouettes and expansive shapes with corset detailing. The offbeat contrasts end elegant monochrome furthered the sense of soft power that embodies the whole collection.

Exploring nature and realising our impact as humans seems to be a pertinent thought across designs for the coming seasons. Swedish luxury brand Bally presented their AW20 collection through a sensory art installation that showcased their understated ready-to-wear garments using subtle choreography, film and sound. Guests traversed the runway as a crowd moved in the opposite direction with models clad in earthy tones and luxurious layering. Titled ‘Purity of form’ the collection encompassed organic materials, soft shapes and sculpted silhouettes reflecting the brands passion for design innovation.

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Dunhill Men's Fall/Winter

Mark Weston spoke about a new view of deconstruction: “dismantling it and putting it together in a different way. It is also about how to build and engineer clothing. It is a mindset that is not lofty, but it is exciting in its technicality. His aesthetic for Dunhill has been building up an incredible new identity imbued with craftsmanship, English tailoring savoir-faire, elegance, classic staples. But also and foremost a sensual fluidity, a modern approach on colors and textures. The patent leather trousers declined in pitch black and lipstick red, blue, and paired with loafers, capes or tailored outwear. Silk satin for blazers and shirt conferred that flamboyant allure we have loved since the start in Weston’s Dunhill, but also his romanticism. Just listen to the poem by James Massiah performed for the show with music by Moses Boys: ”So here they are, present self’s, past self’s, we are in the passenger seats of your car Where you are gonna go, how far? How you are gonna pass the time?”
www.dunhill.com

Fashion

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Louis Vuitton Men's Fall/Winter

René Magritte loved to represents everydaylife objects, placing them in context to sparkle a different perspective on the world. Hidden messages allowing the viewer to reflect on the meaning of “reality” itself, and on the meaning of items, elements, outside of preconceived settings. Magritte loved to imagine and depict the mind mechanisms. For his fifth show at Louis Vuitton Virgil Abloh choose a Magritte sky to merge his models. Walking down the space built ad oc inside the Tuileries gardens, they moved around objects of everydaylife with exacerbated proportions. One among all a tailor’s scissor. What is the meaning of its job at Vuitton? And as designer in toto? These are the questions Virgil Abloh answers today. Abloh’s new perspective already turned toward a more tailored dress code since a while, but exploring the meaning of boyhood, of that childlike pure perspective on the world. The suit is now declined into a myriad of variations, engaging into that Magritte-like color palette with figurative freedom, distancing itself from the normcore of streetwear. With the superlative Louis Vuitton atelier’s craftsmanship Abloh delivers a collection through his updated vocabulary. “De-appropriation”, “Corporate”, “Cloudification”, among the others. And above all “Flouncification: a method which imbues the lifeless with life by way of flounces. The twisting of the familiar into something new”.

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Yohji Yamamoto Men's Fall/Winter

Yohji Yamamoto is a master of humor. “Naughty Yohji” “100 ways to forget Yohji” are all sentences marking the back of coats for his Fall Winter 2020/21, shown at the historical headquarters in rue Saint Martin few steps away from Centre Pompidou. A bitter-sweet humor. Yohji-san played with his usual high craftsmanship - at times whispered gestures that only a close look can return the appreciation they deserves – together with his irony towards the meaning of death, of disappearance and resistance. See the coats with multiple chains or the hand painted heavy knitted sweaters with a ripped, raw edge placed on top of coats. Like an armor ripped by a battle. It’s an homage to the French resistance during World War II. To the women partisans who are often forgotten. We see the portrait of one of them in the show invite. She is a very young woman, standing proud with a basque and the typical armband partisans used to wear. She is the embodiment of hope and of unconditional strength against oppression. Yohji Yamamoto has been always working around the meaning of freedom with great coherence and poetry while delivering an exquisite men’s collection true to his aesthetic.

A Piece of Italy Abroad

In fashion, there are three cities in this world which stand head and shoulders above the rest, Paris, London and Milan. For a brand like Versace, it seems crucial to be present at all three locations. By opening two flagship stores, the Italian house sets the tracks for the future, without losing sight of its heritage and instantly recognizable design aesthetic. Located in the cities’ prime locations, Rue Saint Honoré and New Bond Street respectively, both stores will offer a full collection of men’s and women’s wear as well as accessories. Realized by renowned architect Gwenael Nicolas, both locations mirror the brand’s strong vision and offer tailored concepts for an immaculate display of the Versace products. As LEED Gold certified spaces, both were created with the highest sustainability standards, which do not just apply to the resources used. Both stores will open their doors to the public in Fall 2020.

Milan Fashion Week 2020 - Salvatore Ferragamo Men's Fall/Winter

Ferragamo starts out the new decade with a bang. Returning to the Milan Men's Fashion Week, Creative Director Paul Andrew takes us on a journey to explore the notion of masculinity at the dawn of a new decade. Through six archetypes of men and their uniforms, the businessman, biker, racing driver, soldier, surfer and sailor, Andrew showcases the increasingly fluid and non-conformist masculine attitudes, parting ways with the once-rigid assumptions they enforced. Clothes and especially uniforms can define us, but at the same time they give us the power to transform, to change the perception of us whenever we so choose. As Andrew has put it himself, 'A man today is not obliged to assume a single, set role: he can be a multitude, and he can change his worn identity any time he wishes. That's the freedom we want to explore in 2020.'

Northwave: The reissue of iconic Espresso

In 1991 Northwave, previously known as the Italian company Calzaturificio Piva founded in 1972, created a new sneaker: Espresso. Combining a classic sneaker silhouette with the typical fat boy snowboard boot sole. A unique design bringing the feeling of the snowboard look to a wider audience. A celebration that Japanese brand's identity acquired in 1989 by the then Calzzaturificio Piva and that in the 80s took the snowboard industry by storm becoming #1 in the sector. After a relaunch in Japan in 2014 now Espresso will get again a reissue in two different materials – suede and leather, and 4 colour ways: black, off-white, red and royal blue.

NJG Studios: ‘Desire’

In the new book designed by NJG Studio the early lives and art of Patti Smith & Robert Mapplethorpe are explored through the lucidly expressive and of-the-moment photography of Lloyd Ziff. ‘Desire’, depicts an era of impassioned cultural defiance in New York during 1968 and ’69. As the author Hunter S. Thompson put it, the end of the 60’s was the reluctant quelling of a bittersweet revolution, he mused that “you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark—that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back”. Now, with the release of ‘Desire’ this movement can be seen through the eyes of some of the icons of the time.

With over 65 unpublished works and many New York street photos over 128 pages in a hardback cover, ‘Desire’ comes fittingly housed in a hand-sewn paper bag. There will only be 600 copies of ‘Desire’ published with 100 of them being marked ‘Strictly Limited Edition’. Robert Mapplethorpe counts amongst the most critically acclaimed artists of the late twentieth century. Most notably, Mapplethorpe is known for his black-and-white portrait photography and his documentation of New York’s S&M scene in the late 70s. Artistic freedoms were alive in Smith and Mapplethorpe during the end of the 60’s, Ziff captures their knack for never quite fitting in or complying with authority and capitalism. Their natural disposition was to being outstanding, Ziff captures these dying embers as they burned their brightest. www.njgstudio.com

Fashion

RRD Opens Showroom in Milan

Tuscan design company, Roberto Ricci Designs, have opened their first showroom in Via Tortona 31, at the heart of Milan’s fashion and design district. Of the new showroom, Ricci has said “it is a further step in the consolidation of the brand in Italy and its internationalisation”. The location speaks to the core values and soul of the designer, freedom of movement. The RRD project seeks “to offer clothing that is a hymn to the extreme freedom of movement of the body. The dynamic that follows the coordinates of daily life and is able to express energy.”

The Milan showroom will also be a meeting ground for international customers, buyers and journalists to better understand the philosophy of Roberto Ricci Design and explore their malleable Lycra creations. Ricci goes on to explain “it integrates all the elements of our inspiration, from the wave images of Australian photographer Ray Collins to the giant images of moving bodies in our Lycra. “We are in search of the true essence of things and have therefore sought the right synergies, combining driftwood with industrial metals, transparent and opaque glass”, RRD has found a home in Milan for its motifs of liberated movement and liberating design to be expressed and discovered.

Louis Vuitton SS20

A VHS tape re-imagined as bag. The name of iconic movies morphed with a witty style placed on totes. Nicolas Ghesquière’s time machine brought us at the very origins of Louis Vuitton. La Belle Èpoque, or the golden age in France after the end of the Franco-Prussian war in 1871 till the Great War. A period of stability and optimism.

Leather and silk skirts reminiscent of the end of 19th century silhouettes with bell shapes flared smoothly over the hips from a small waist and gradually widened at the hemline. It is a time when the Victorian era crinoline disappeared and corsets were worn only in the evening and formal occasion. The change of dressing codes reflecting the woman emancipation at the time is a strong inspiration for Ghesquière.

We also saw beautiful painted motifs looking at Art Nouveau and using Marcel Proust beloved cattleya orchid – which metaphorically symbolized the sensual and erotic desire in “Swann’s Way” - pinned on lapels. The symbol of a new era, of a new spirit, of blossoming. The vibrant colours – blue, red, orange, yellow, to mention few – composed like fragments of bucolic Art Nouveau illustrations on several look.

Nicolas Ghesquière tribute to that fervid time in Europe is reflected in the atmosphere created by singer Sophie’s otherworldly performance in an extended version of “It’s Okay to Cry, specially made for Louis Vuitton and screened on a humongous backdrop at Cour Carrée inside the Louvre.

When exiting this magic show venue the light of Pei’s pyramid casted an enchanting atmosphere. Briefly after it started pouring rain just like the final moments of Sophie’s video performance.A moment of energy, beauty and the multitude of facets of Nicolas Ghesquière’s genius.

Rick Owens SS20

It has been several seasons: Rick Owens has turned towards a positive and joyful position on fashion. This season he continued his beautiful homage to iconic American Designer Larry LeGaspi, one of the most underrated fashion designers who dressed the likes of band Kiss, Labelle, Grace Jones, George Clinton, with its neo-futuristic and visionary style. For anyone who still doesn’t know about LeGaspi the recent Owens’monograph “LeGaspi by Rick Owens” published by Rizzoli is a perfect reference.

We fund all that subversive sensibility and the crafts for volume at Rick Owens’ Spring Summer 2020 collection. Presented at Palais de Tokyo in a Myazaki-like setting with performers creating a sea of bubbles floating in the air as the models walked in. A fantasy embodying the imaginative power of Owens. Big volumes, swiping floor satin-like robes, peplums, sculptural shoulders, layers binding together embracing the body in Owens’ signature silhouettes. Reminiscent of that 80s LeGaspi glamour but also a very personal inspiration: Connie, his 87 years old Mexican immigrant mother

Pleated elements, geometric motives in sequins, inspired by fleeting memories like the china poblana patterns on a skirt his mother would wear on Sundays, or head pieces between Aztec influences, legendary Fritz Lang’s Metropolis futurist investigations, and Sphinx-like shapes, as Owens explained.

There was plenty of colour: gold-mustard, vivid red, pink, green, next to the signature’s black. An homage to Mexican pride: architect Luis Barragàn.
The beautiful soundtrack was exclusively crafted by tecno Dj Gage featuring Maria Felix vocals in one of her iconic movies spelling : “Corazon tu diras los que hacemos”
A beautiful collection from a designer who didn’t cease to research and surprise.

Yohji Yamamoto SS20

When exactly one year ago we interviewed Yohji Yamamoto in his Paris headquarters top floor – an apartment-like space filled with stunning Jean Prouvé furniture – he told us how, loosely paraphrasing his words, it is never about black or colours but about darkness and light.

The Spring Summer 2020 collection unfolded around all this with a crescendo of light as the models walked in look after look.

It was not only the succession from black to write looks. Looking closely the construction of each garment delineated carefully this vision: constructed in soft black cotton canvas, hand painted with big brush strokes creating a subtle see-through and adding a hardened structure.

When two looks of 30 meters hand knotted write silk crepe and hand painted in a multitude of colours – the colours Yamamoto addressed his entire career as “light”: a particular shade of yellow, purple, blue, red – entered the space at the Grand Palais we all felt deeply moved.

It was a poignant moment unfolding in a crescendo of intricately constructed looks that filled the room with awe: masterfully tailored long dresses with cut-outs elements at the waist depicting fallen pieces put back in an attempt to recompose what was broken.

The Japanese vision of seeing what is broken as beautiful through Kintsukuroi comes to mind.

Declined also in embroidered half cut-out flowers as if captured in the motion of falling, to find further Yohji Yamamoto’s reflection on Mother Nature’s fragile status. If his blazer as seen during his exit had No Future embroidered at its back, his peculiar ironic nature tells us that this is not a message but a question we must answer ourselves.

The last looks were an overwhelming surprise: white canvas long shirt dresses with their bottom structured as mimicking 18th century robe à la française, with intricate hand embroidered sequins motifs at its inner side and hand painted brush strokes from the outside to further “hide” the embroidery work.

Yohji Yamamoto worked on several layers. Transparencies surfaced with a dark and erotic atmosphere. This is a collection that touched us deeply. Thank you Yamamoto-san

Musings on Fashion & Style: Kate Moss @ Saint Laurent Rive Droite

The Museo De La Moda has published a book of ‘Musings on Fashion & Style’. In the book, published by Rizzoli, documents pivotal moments in fashion history. As the book’s guest editor Moss introduces readers to a personally curated selection of her favorite couture and costume pieces from the museum. With a storied legacy in fashion and iconic looks from runways in all major cities, the mind of Kate Moss is a treasure trove of fashion knowledge. The book, a collaboration between Chile’s Museo De La Moda, Rizzoli and herself, features dresses owned by fashion greats like Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. The museum also boasts the largest privately owned collection of Marilyn Monroe dresses.

The museum houses dresses and garments that span all the way back to the baroque period. Museo De La Moda is dedicated to the restoration and conservation of fashion history. Home to more than 17,000 dresses, the museum also has collected sketches, accessories and decorative arts. As an institution it is focussed on offering an introduction to the history of costumes and the evolution of fashion. With the large collection left to him by his parents Jorge Yarur Banna and Raquel Bascuñán Cugnoni, Jorge Bascuñán has maintained the Museo De La Moda’s status as a home for historic moments in fashion. It was fitting that Saint Laurent Rive Droite, home to a plentiful intersection of art and fashion, should host a book signing. Kate Moss arrived at Saint Laurent Rive Droite where she graciously signed copies of ‘Musings on Fashion & Style’ for fans of herself and fans of fashion culture alike.

Max Mara SS20

Natasha Walter, writer of spy-thriller ‘A Quiet Life’ has observed a turning tide, “Fiction needs more female spies” for the simple reason that it would make sense. Women can be inconspicuous, manipulative, powerful and discreet; all highly regarded qualities in secret agents. Charlize Theron’s character in the film Atomic Blonde was one of the more recent female spy heroines yet it is only a beginning and a long awaited one at that. Adding to this the new Bond film will have its screenplay looked over by BBC America’s “Killing Eve” screenwriter, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Creative Designer, Ian Griffiths poses the question, how would these spies dress?

She wears shorts that graze the knee and multi-pocketed shirts in eau-de-nil, shell pink and powder blue. The look is sleek, ever graceful and infallibly professional in sweeping trench coats, sharp shouldered trouser-suits in ‘Sharkskin’ and ‘Prince-de-Galles’ colors. Tasteful discretion and precise tailoring provide a cunning visual feast in Max Mara’s SS20 collection. At the core of this design was the notion that spy thrillers and spy novellas are missing intuitive and highly trained female characters and by doing so, letting down an entire demographic. Max Mara have brought this idea to life, the jet-setting woman with her ear to the ground in any city, effortless style to match, is passionately evoked on the runway of Milan Fashion Week.

NYFW: Sies Marjan Spring 2020

At the Hall of Records in Lower Manhattan during New York Fashion Week, Sies Marjan unveiled their Women’s collection for Spring 2020. They took their time and basked in their designs, the underlying theme of their show? A refined appreciation for taking one’s time in the knowledge that comfort and an excess of time are the only true luxuries. The collection’s color palette is inspired by nail polish and make-up, two applications that require patience and careful consideration. Creative Director of Sies Marjan, Sander Lak spoke on his collection, saying “it celebrates the beauty of having the time and freedom to create and consider your choices.”

Materials like untreated denim are tailored as if it were wool into the shape of fine suits whereas the dresses boast sophisticated fabrics. Double duchess satin, reptile-embossed silk and lacquered crocodile-embossed leathers evoke power and aesthetic prowess. Visually the dresses for Sies Marjan’s Spring ’20 collection are as effortlessly regal as they are tailored with precision. Vibrant colors won over the onlooking crowd, rich emeralds and devilishly alluring reds remind the eye of shimmering lip gloss. Walking the line between conservative and contemporary Lak’s vision for Spring 2020 is a vivid and amorous display of craftsmanship for those that take their time in life. Although it might seem pared down at times, this is a cornerstone of the collection. To surprise without outdoing oneself is not an easy task, Lak stated that he has “a desire for the beauty of wealth and time, but never in excess.”

2 Moncler 1952 + Valextra: NYFW in SOHO

To celebrate their 2 Moncler 1952 + Valextra collection being made available in all their boutiques around the world, the doors of their Soho, NY boutique swung open to greet fans of fashion week. Moncler hosted a cocktail party for the ages. In their collaboration Valextra provides Moncler with a healthy amount of traditionalism as the foundation on which Moncler can test the inventiveness of designers Veronica Leoni, in charge of the women’s collection and Sergio Zambon for the men’s. Their strong Milanese heritage and innovative craftsmanship met with Moncler’s restless search for the new results in the best of both worlds. The Moncler boutique in Soho provided the perfect venue for the 2 Moncler 1952 + Valextra festivities.

Like a dream that’s so real you could get lost in it, bouclé wools, fishnets and macro ginko prints add to padded tailoring and detachable linings for more customizable fits. One of Sergio Zambon's trademarks in his work with 2 Moncler 1952 is the collaboration between graphic artists and fine artists. For this collection he joined forces with Romon Yang aka ROSTARR, an abstract artist, calligraphist and director who lives and works in Brooklyn. Oversize, cross bodies and all the extraverted down shapes produced by Moncler are still very present and pronounced in this collection. To surround oneself with nature and the divine outdoors while also maintining a life in the heart of your city, this is the ethos of 2 Moncler 1952 + Valextra. With their collaboration now available world-wide, they could not have chosen a more electric city than New York to celebrate in. It was here they poured up a range of colorful drinks and showed their guests around to explore their vivid creations.

Net-A-Porter: THE VANGUARD 2019

Introducing the Net-A-Porter VANGUARD class of 2019. In its second year and third season, four designers have been chosen to receive mentorship within THE VANGUARD program. For the first time the chosen brands were discovered through Instagram. Net-A-Porter, with its talent incubator for up and comers, seeks to provide a comprehensive education on every aspect of the business. For emerging designers, this means having privileged access for developing the practical business skills.

Who else could be so discerning in the quest for wave makers in such a vast industry? With their prestige and omniscient coordination over 170 countries, Net-A-Porter paves the way forward. THE VANGUARD ensures that Net-A-Porter can muster the very best from their newest recruits, four very talented designers. ‘BITE Studios’, ‘Le 17 Septembre’, ‘Natura Sacra’ and ‘The Sant’ are Net-A-Porter’s chosen few; we can expect great things from each of them in their own unique way. From elegant and eco-friendly to unique shapes and artistic craftsmanship, there is little to dispute among the talent at hand.

This year the challenge designers were faced with a quandary that every brand is faced with, lessening their environmental footprint. Four designers were selected for their innovative tailoring methods, eco-friendly design practices and not least for their aesthetic qualities. The mentorship program provides winners with a path on which to better forge their career. THE VANGUARD will be supported with a visual campaign highlighting the four new brands for Fall/Winter ‘19, alongside previous winners from Net-A-Porter’s last season. Previous alumnus that went took up the mantle of THE VANGUARD include Anne Manns, Peter Do and Ratio et Motus. The program is followed by an ‘accelerator scheme’ through which The Vanguards will meet with a team of Net-A-Porter’s best and brightest, a treasure trove of refined industry knowledge.

Bally Haus

For a brand like Bally it is crucial to be present in certain cities all around the world. Milan, the epicentre of Italian fashion, can definitely count itself among these prestigious locations. For this reason, the Swiss brand opens its first Bally Haus in the heart of the North Italian city.

As Bally CEO Nicolas Girotto explains, “Bally’s flagship in Milan is a celebration of our brand identity.” Indeed, the building is an embodiment of the house’s aesthetic codes and principles. Bally Haus was designed by Casper Mueller Kneer Architects with the aim of capturing all the qualities which Bally has continously stood for, in order to not onlt create a new retail location but a true home for the brand. Its tranquil state of permamence recalls the Swiss brand’s legacy and craftsmanship, incorporating Swiss pillarts of art, architecture and natural materials.

The internal tiled-ceramic façade reflects the tiles from founder Carl Franz Bally’s original home, whereas the large illuminated windows are patterned to pay homage to the historic storefronts seen in photograph’s from Bally’s archives.

Bally Haus brings Swiss excellence to Italy and infuses it with the identity of its new Milanese home. To celebrate the opening of the store and to position it as veritable flagship store in Italy’s fashion capital, Bally Haus merchandise will be availble exclusively from the store.

'This World is Drunk': Raphael Saadiq

In this world of political unrest and earth’s seemingly hopeless decay, a voice cries out through the dark. The Oakland raised recording artist and multi instrumentalist, Raphael Saadiq has written songs for the brightest stars of R&B including Solange, D’Angelo, Whitney Houston and TLC. Even under the crushing weight of his three brothers and one sister passing, Saadiq embraced his passions, growing in maturity significantly since his introduction as part of the three-piece group ‘Tony! Toni! Toné!’. Saadiq grasped life in his hands and began shaping it with vigour and care until it mirrored his dream, we are now seeing the fruit Saadiq’s life force has bore, his first studio album release in eight years, 'Jimmy Lee'.

‘Jimmy Lee’ is a melancholic soundscape to the world’s incredibly dizzying turn, felt greatest by the world’s most vulnerable. In the same way as David Bowie used his music to observe and shape the world for better, Raphael Saadiq offers a spoonful of sugar to help digest the bitter medicine you might see on a newspaper headline or bearded face with creases running deep in sunburned skin of a homeless man holding a cardboard sign in downtown California that reads “dollar for a song”. There’s no greater tragedy than bad things happening to good people. If this is true then Saadiq is the best of us and his voice is a vital one to pay attention to in the 21st century.

On the song “This World is Drunk” Saadiq finds himself contemplating how lost, stretched out and estranged the life of an addict can be. The swimming chords drone in and out while high octave piano keys play out like the very heart strings they echo from. Music like this can get lost in the ocean of choices that streaming services offer up, there is a multitude of reasons not to miss this rare chance to better understand life and our world through music. “Jimmy Lee” throws the blame back on the endless rat race that corners good people to find their darkness and use it. Whether that darkness is a drug, a violence, lust, Raphael Saadiq reminds the listener bluntly “this world is drunk and the people are mad”. www.raphaelsaadiqmusic.com

Art

Duran Lantink: 'Old Stock'

The top floors of Utrecht’s Centraal Museum are taken over by Dutch fashion designer Duran Lantink, to recycle, repurpose and reimagine discarded designer fabrics. The 31-year-old designer, named after the Panamanian boxer Roberto Durán, calls his exhibition ‘Old Stock’. The solo exhibition follows Duran Lantink’s aesthetic journey along a path he paved for himself between fashion and art. Where does this path lead? It leads toward a world that wastes nothing and celebrates everything.

Praised as being one of fashion’s best up and coming talents at this year’s London Fashion Week, Lantink a variety of garments, all of which have his vigorous craftsmanship about them. The Centraal Museum is making sure Lantink has all the room to breathe he needs, allowing him to take over the top floors to better display his versatility and imagination.

‘Old Stock’ is divided into thirds, photography, an installation called ‘Straight From the Sales Bin’ and lastly ‘Dismantled’. “Sistaaz of the Castle”, the photo series, was started by Lantink three years ago with Jan Hoek and a transsexual workers organization known as ‘Sistaazhood’. They shadowed transsexual sex workers as they flaunted proudly around Cape Town. ‘Straight From the Sales Bin’ is Lantink’s way of distancing himself from the chain of destruction that sees unsold clothes burned, discarded or shredded.

As for ‘Dismantled’, Duran Lantink’s freedom of expression is a beacon to designers and artists the world over. Centraal Museum has horded designer clothing, dresses they chose not to display, that served no real purpose other than gathering dust until Lantink intervened, these stagnant garments are now reanimated and born again for the world to see. Regardless of the whether you perceive Duran as the Freddy Krueger of fashion or the edgy prodigal son that Dutch fashion sorely needed, one thing remains certain, this never resting creative mind has nowhere to go but up.

Messika: Precious Wanderlust

A campfire under the starry night sky surrounded by nothing but the vastness of the desert plains. A red carpet event with thousands of photographers and fans screaming for your attention. The Wild West and fine jewelry really are worlds apart. Nonetheless, Valérie Messika finds inspiration in North America’s endless desert landscapes and injects her newfound desire for escape and a sense of wanderlust into the Haute Joaillerie collection.

Named after the famous 1969 song “Born to Be Wild,” the collection is a tribute to the iconic Route 66 and the love of adventure as celebrated in the film Easy Rider. Carefree American attitude meets French glamour and sophistication in a dazzling display of diamonds and Maison Messika’s excellent craftsmanship.

Suited for queens of the desert, Messika second opus of Born to Be Wild presents its vision of modern jewelry: ultra-feminine and elegant, yet organic and natural in shape, drawing inspiration from Wild West motifs such as cactus flowers, lassos or shooting stars.

Even in Haute Joaillerie, taste never stands still as new generations of customers demand novelty objects and new creations. For the first time, Valérie Messika introduces more unconventional pieces into her collection, such as the mask entirely set in diamonds, each stone in the Maison’s signature feather setting, or the two-in-one nose- and single earring.

Born to Be Wild represents the perfect synergy of French luxury and vast American wilderness, celebrating and combining the glamour of Haute Joaillerie with the Wild West’s longing for freedom and adventure. www.messika.com

Fashion

Louis Vuitton's Art of Travel

The House of Louis Vuitton and the art of travel are deeply interconnected. Highly conscious about their heritage, the French Maison has not forgotten about its early origins as luggage manufacturer. After all, it was the lightweight, flat-topped trunks out of the Parisian house that would make travel as comfortable as never before.

With the addition of four new titles to its Fashion Eye series of photography books, the French house stirs up a restlessness, a wanderlust, which invites us to set off to discover new horizons. We receive the unique opportunity to immerse ourselves in the worlds of four very distinct photographers visiting and documenting some of the planet’s most exciting places. Whether it is Baron Adolphe de Meyer’s travel across the mysterious Japan of the early 1900s, Slim Aaron’s carefree take on the fantastic glamour of the 1970s French Riviera, Osma Harvilathi’s documentation of everyday life in the legendary Mediterranean port Saint Tropez or Sarah Moon’s beautiful journey on the fabled Orient Express, each title has been created with the utmost attention to detail, from the selection of images, which capture an authentic feel, to the type of paper and methods of printing and binding used during the production process.

Through the diverse photography in each title, Louis Vuitton sets out to capture the true soul of travel. It is an homage to the inherent expressive nature of images and their inherent significance as archival treasures, invaluable references to past times and distant regions, as much in terms of their approach as their aesthetics. www.louisvuitton.com

Fashion

Tabitha Simmons and Stuart Ververs: Coach in Full Bloom

Coach, a brand praised for its synchronicity with New York style, and Tabitha Simmons, acclaimed designer, running her own forward thinking shoe brand since 2009, is a dream pairing. Simmons, once style editor for American Vogue and CFDA winner for her work with accessories, was met with open arms at Coach. Coach Director, Stuart Ververs, recalled bumping into her at a Greenwich hotel, “she happened to be wearing a floral print dress from the Spring 2016 collection. We knew it had to be the starting point for our collaboration".

The collection features Simmons’ very first handbag design, inspired by the shape and colors of Coach bags from the 1950’s. The Coach Floral print from 2016 appears in different imaginings, floral-printed velvet dramatically appears on the collection’s urban hiker books, complimentary of Simmons’ unwavering devotion to the confident, doubtless modern woman and Ververs’ tireless perfectionism for designing fine leather goods.

Simmons mused on their collaboration, "It has been incredible working with him to bring our collaboration to life in a way that honors both of our brand's aesthetics. I love the contrast between whimsical, feminine florals and a little bit of a punk and edginess, there is something for every woman in this collection”. With Tabitha’s new cross-body bag reimagined from Coach’s 1973 Suspender Pouch, Simmons and Ververs are quite simply in full bloom.

Berluti's Marble

There are certain parallels between the house Berluti and the iconic Italian marble, deeply rooted in Italian tradition, timeless and sophisticated, yet with a certain edge. With his FW19 collection, Berluti’s Creative Director visualizes this obvious connection.

Hidden in the Berluti manifattura in Ferrara, you will find old marble tables. For decades, these have been used by the craftsmen to hand-dye the patina of Berluti’s iconic shoes, a process that has left its marks on the creamy deep whiteness of the marble surface. The circles, stains and botches, left in all different hues and colors by year’s of applied polishes, merge with the stone’s natural marbling contrasting the noble and the rough.

Photographed and unedited, this dye-splattered marble becomes the fundament for Kris Van Assche’s collection. Interpreted as one of the collection’s signature prints, it finds use across the collection. The shirts, overcoats and range of accessories in this fresh print offer visual accents, whilst creating a subtle connection to the house’s rich heritage as shoe manufacturer.

Riders of the Knights

The female struggle for political rights is largely associated with the popular movement of the early 20th century, as it laid the foundation for the position of the modern woman in society. But, there have been strong women, whose struggle for self-determination and independence well predates the last century.

Inspired by medieval heroines, such as Eleanor of Aquitaine or Elizabeth of England, who boldly transcended social limitations in an attempt to shape their own destiny, Francesca Amfitheatrof creates Riders of the Knights, Louis Vuitton’s newest Haute Joaillerie collection. The collection is an homage to these women’s determination and independence, mirroring their inner radiance and noble intentions in a dazzling display of thousands of diamonds and precious gemstones in rich and deep colors.

Reflective of their noble status, the carefully crafted pieces evoke the magnificence of dynastic jewels and sovereign power, in a breathtaking presentation of exquisite craftsmanship and materials with The Royaume alone featuring about 1600 precious stones. The collection’s strong aesthetic is loaded with symbolism, drawing upon medieval architecture, codes of chivalry and heraldic crests, with each of the 50 pieces telling a story that speaks to the confident and successful Louis Vuitton woman of today.

Exceptional and imposing, Riders of the Knights is no a tale of boundless wealth and male power, but a celebration of female courage and strength that has changed the course of history.

#MeAndMyPeekaboo - Majorie Yang & Dee Poon

Most of Europe’s luxury heritage houses share an identical story. Initially founded by a single person or family, they have developed over time into international businesses until the only remaining remnant of the distant beginning is the founding family name.

One of the exceptions is Roman house FENDI. Since its foundation in 1925 by Adele and Edoardo Fendi, the Fendi family has remained central to the company over three generations with a family member, Silvia Venturini Fendi, taking over as Creative Director in 2019.
With the #MeAndMyPeekaboo campaign, the FENDI honors the family values so closely associated with the history of the house. Throughout the campaign, ten of the world’s most iconic families have been captured in their most authentic and intimate moments accompanied by FENDI’s iconic Peekaboo bags. For the newest edition, FENDI focuses on the special bond between mother and daughter by the example of Majorie Yang and her daughter Dee Poon.

Remaining faithful to the narrative, the video portraits the strong relationship between the two highly successful women, captured during intimate moments in Hong Kong. Just like the special family values, the Peekaboo bag, defined through great form and design, never goes out of trend and is treasured by younger and older generations of independent women alike. www.fendi.com

Fashion

Griffin x Woolrich 'Second Life'

It was only a few decades ago that humans started to recognize their negative impact on the natural environment. Nevertheless, this uncomfortable truth has been repressed in our collective mind and life continued just as it did before.

Fast-forward to the year 2019. Protecting the environment has become a pressing global issue, with the effects becoming more visible day-by-day. No longer can this important issue be put off and the time has finally come to act. With the consumer’s growing awareness and the increasing demand for sustainability, the fashion industry started to modify its wasteful ways.

For the third time, Woolrich teams up with Griffin Studio to reveal the Fall/Winter 2019 collection, distinguished through its minimal environmental impact. Throughout the collection, Woolrich and Griffin present three methods of sustainable production, tackling fashion’s biggest sources of pollution. On the one hand, the Woolrich branded Eco Ramar Cloth, used for the Griffin Reversible Parka, is printed instead of dyed, cutting the water usage by 70%. The America T-Shape and Sleeping Bag Coat, on the other hand, are produced in an eco fabric, gained from recycled plastic garbage with over 40% harvested from the sea. Special attention is directed toward the four ‘Second Life’ styles. This highly limited capsule collection uses reappropriated surpluses of the high-end Italian fabrics, which would otherwise have been discarded for a variety of reasons. This highlights the idea of reusing and recycling, legitimizing it as modern way forward. Produced 100% in Italy, all components were sourced within 30km of the production site.

Woolrich and Griffin Studio combine their typical modern urban aesthetic and functionality with a sustainable way of production. By proving that recycling is still a great source of untapped potential for the fashion industry and that sustainability does not have to come at the expense of style, they hope to not only showcase its inherent value but also positively shape the customer’s ways of consumption.

Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019

Haute Couture represents the high point of fashion, the merging of the finest craftsmen and the finest materials, with its essence deeply rooted in time-honored traditions. In a bold and beautiful collection, Clare Waight Keller interweaves the threads of the gilded past into a radical future.

For the first time, the designer imbues her modern approach, instilled throughout her previous experience in prêt-à-porter, with a glamorous and elaborate aesthetic reminiscent of the chateaux, villas and stately homes, which stand at the origins of the grand tradition of Haute Couture. With Noblesse Radicale, Waight Keller inflects the traditions of Givenchy Haute Couture with new textures and volumes.

In line with haute couture’s traditions, the collection shivers in delightful embellishments. The exquisite materials, inspired by impressions of the past, from flowering wallpapers and rich upholstery to heraldic silverware, in combination with elaborate displays of precious beading and sequins, feathers and lace dissolve into the modern contrast of deconstructed evening wear. Old techniques and conventions meet modern materials and construction, accentuating a vibe of rebellious grandeur which defined the whole collection.

The looks are finished off in a daring retort to pomp and ceremony, with crested mohawks, pearl chandelier earrings and decadent palladium crowns blooming with curling 3D petals. This show connects the past and present and relates the elements of fantasy and indulgence that have made couture such a compelling practice with a hint of rebellion. www.givenchy.com

Fashion

HUGO x Liam Payne

The highly anticipated HUGO x Liam Payne capsule collection was finally launched at Berlin Fashion Week. Over 1.000 people, including Winnie Harlow, Stella Maxwell and Lena Gercke, attended the party that included a live performance by the man himself to get a first close-up look at the garments co-designed by Liam Payne.

The ten streetwear-inspired pieces reference the artist’s unique personal style and blur the lines between formalwear and athleisure. The capsule collection is defined by easy-to-wear silhouettes, fused with reflective tape trims and statement logo graphics for the desired urban-inspired vibe.

Apart from Liam Payne’s live performance, the guests enjoyed an exclusive preview of the HUGO Spring Summer 2020 collection which was inspired by Berlin itself. The evening concluded with DJ sets from object blue and Sebo K that took the party into the early morning hours.

The HUGO x Liam Payne capsule collection will be available on hugo.com and in selected stores around the globe from July 5th. www.hugoboss.com

Fashion

Juun.J Spring Summer 2020

Juun.J returns to show at the beautiful Ècole de Medicine. It was a celebration of all the pieces and silhouettes we have loved this brand for.

Born more than 10 years ago, Juun.J has build a aesthetic imbued with beautiful modern tailoring: blazers with sharp oversized shoulders matched with leather shorts or leather overalls (black leather was definitely one of the key element), and suits with fluid palazzo pants declined in a beautiful grey English check, both for men and women. But also the brand’s signature oversized windbreakers styled as always by being placed on the head pushing further ¬- as the models storm in - that fluidity Juun.J is fond of.

Fluidity and breeziness we found as well in dresses played around transparency and asymmetrical layering, in beautiful lemon yellow or the signature metallic.

Juun.J’s love to reinterpret military clothing codes was also a focus: boxy pants, sleeveless jackets and overalls with multiple pockets at times generously oversized in green or with camouflage print.

Valentino Men’s Spring Summer 2020

Fantastic landscapes with graceful stones of otherworldly colours. Imaginary islands with beautiful creatures and a moody heavenly atmosphere. Artist Roger Dean - who designed album covers of the most progressive English rock bands in the 70s and 80s - channelled the Pierpaolo Piccioli’ s vision for Valentino Menswear Spring Summer 2020.

It’s a collection where different elements come together as in a long travel, at times as a free spirited meandering of human mind with all its colourful facets: the breezy capes, the flowing silk shirts paired with pant with sporty details and the updated version of the Rockrunner Plus sneakers.

At a closer look the couture embroideries and beading on shirts and outwear don’t fail to amaze us. The collection is an ode to the free-spirited Pier Paolo Piccioli’s own mind that we already had the pleasure to witness constantly during Womenswear.

The accessories carefully played around the idea of a camping mood are revealing beautiful mixes of textures: technical fabrics, suede, butter soft leather. One in particular caught our attention: the small squared boxy bag declined in different colours and prints. Reminiscent of a insulated lunch bag, it’s already the new it-bag.

Celine Men’s Spring Summer 2020

In a pitch black room just one spotlight is directed on one person only: Hedi Slimane, almost silently shaking hands to everyone who respectfully wanted to congratulate after his first Celine Menswear dedicated show. The surreal, almost religious atmosphere is the perfect mirror to the designer’s credo: a creative mind far from any compromises.

Hedi Slimane’s multifaceted imagination created also the set design, a mobile squared box covered with theatre-like red velvet curtain to reveal a structure made of metal and beaming lights. A stage-throne where the first model seated till the humongous mechanism approached slowly the centre of the catwalk.

The collection expressed one of Hedi Slimane’s favourite references: the 70s, the disco culture of the time. High waste flared denim, sequins jackets, short black leather perfecto, red or gold varsity jackets. But also tailored slim suits in dark brown, khaki, black and at time – see the first look - reminiscent of Savile Row.

It felt almost as if we just were walking out of a student protest of the time. The rebellious and nonconformist attitude in the air: sentences written by artist David Cramer and printed on t-shirts, bomber, bags added up: “I still don’t know if this is getting me anywhere” or “I have nostalgia for things I have probably never known”.

Kramer, an American artist working with words and building them together in form of slogans as part of his mostly figurative paintings and graphic drawings, collaborated for the first time with Slimane. There is a strong 70s research in Kramer’s work, with a confronting nostalgic humour.

Hedi Slimane’s rock and roll “i-don’t-care” looks marched at the rhythm of Bodega’s original track “Name Escape” composed for the show.

Il Sarcofago di Spitzmaus e altri Tesori

Museums are places of knowledge. Each piece on display has been meticulously studied and analyzed before experts categorized it according to the right origins and time period. Just as the academic research on different civilizations is largely separated, each time period belongs to a separate collection within a museum.

With ‘Il Sarcofago di Spitzmaus e altri Tesori’, translating into ‘Spitzmaus Mummy in a Coffin and Other Treasures’, the Fondazione Prada, in collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, takes a less academic approach to the museum and its traditional methods of display. The task of curation is realized by film director Wes Anderson and illustrator, designer and writer Juman Malouf. Unconcerned with time periods and chronological accuracy, the two artists have access to 23 different collections belonging to two different museums, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna. Together, both artists selected 537 artworks and artefacts from over 5000 years of human history and showcase them alongside one another. Their interdisciplinary approach at times reveals unexpected parallels and resonances between the works and directly challenges traditional museum canons. The exhibition is titled after Coffin of a Spitzmaus, an Egyptian wooden box containing a mummified shrew from the 4th century BC.

After the display in Vienna, the exhibition moves to exhibition space of the Fondazione Prada in Milan. The Milan display is a second version with a larger display area and a greater number of exhibits. Alongside the exhibition, the Fondazione Prada publishes an artist’s book, which inspired by Duchamp’s Boîte-en-valise, elaborates the idea of the portable museum.

The exhibition ‘Il Sarcofago di Spitzmaus e altri Tesori’ is open to the public from the 20th of September 2019 until the 13th of January 2020 at the Fondazione Prada in Milan. www.fondazioneprada.org

Art

Fondation Louis Vuitton: Charlotte Perriand

Charlotte Perriand was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century design. This truly visionary woman stands at the origins of a distinctly modern art de vivre, whilst at the same time helping to redefine the relationships between the arts themselves. Her work was a reaction to the shifting social and political climate of the time, embodying the transition from outdated traditions of the 19th century to the 20th century’s urban living.

In honor of the 20th anniversary of her passing, the Fondation Louis Vuitton dedicates a major exhibition to her forward-facing work. They explore her impact on modernity and her perception of a ‘synthesis of the arts’, a link between the different disciplines and the influences they share. The Foundation consecrates all of its ten galleries to invite its guests to a journey through the 20th century, in the company of a truly pioneering artist.

Each of the different galleries recognizes one aspect of her broad range of work, spanning from her contributions to design and architecture to her political engagement. This is a unique opportunity to engage with the roots of modernity thanks to meticulously researched and faith reconstitutions.

The exhibition is open to the public from October 2nd, 2019 to February 24th, 2020 at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.

In-Store Presentation: Prada Spring/Summer 2020

For the first time, Italian house Prada decided to stage their SS20 Menswear runway show outside of Italy. Earlier this year, the collection was unveiled on Shanghai’s catwalk. As it is impossible for an Italian house of Prada’s magnitude to just skip Italy’s Fashion Week, they invited for an in-store presentation of the collection in Milan.

The collection itself once again proved Miuccia Prada’s exceptional creativity. Exploring the aesthetics of youth whilst remodelling it in a modern spirirt. Prada explores the meaning of clothing whilst intentionally distancing herself from the notions of garments as classics. Classical items were adorned with pockets and pouches, challenging familiar forms, whilst manipulated proportions and clever layering evoke a hint of rebellion against the norm. The remixed Prada logo, prints of casette tapes and video cameras and the characteristically vibrant color palette finish the retro-futuristic aesthetic and prove the ever-changing nature of the house.

Brunello Cucinelli Spring/Summer 2020

With the Spring/Summer 2020 collection, Brunello Cucinelli sets a modern standard for dressing well. With the increased pace of modern life, style and comfort have to be perfectly balanced, posing a challenge to the often stiff formality of tailoring.

Brunello Cucinelli makes a conscious effort to move away from this stiffness, proving that dressing comfortably does not always equal dressing down. With softer fits, Cucinelli achieves a sophisticated yet casual feel, combining good taste with the sensation of comfort. The unstructured garments are defined by a refined contemporary zeitgeist, making them versatile companions for any occasion. The essence of the collection remains in tailoring, which alongside the knitwear in bright and fresh summer hues combines to the perfect look to face summer.

Regardless of the renewed aesthetic, Brunello Cucinelli keeps up the tradition of using the finest materials and excellent craftsmanship. As the overall trend is shifting towards casual dress and leisure, one can only consider Cucinelli’s creations fit for ennobled leisure.

NET SUSTAIN: An Edit of Considered Fashion

The mentality of the modern consumer has undeniably changed over the last few years. Whereas a few years ago the main incentive was to blindly satisfy the desire for luxury and consumption, the focus has shifted towards a more informed way of shopping. Important notions of environmental protection and sustainability never before had such a strong impact on our ways of consumption.

By launching NET SUSTAIN, NET-A-PORTER creates a platform dedicated to brands and designers that meet the business’ criteria for sustainability. Hailed as an important milestone in the business’ sustainability journey, this new section will allow the customers to make informed choices while at the same time highlighting brands that are truly making positive changes.

Initially launching with 26 brands, the 500 qualified products all meet one or more of the five key attributes set by NET-A-PORTER. Each attribute takes a different aspect into consideration, covering everything from waste reduction to human, animal and environmental welfare, whilst also aligning with internationally recognized best practices in the fashion and beauty industries. Over time, they hope to include more and more brands, including the addition of beauty within the next year.

NET-A-PORTER sets out on a mission to inspire positive change by showcasing that sustainability and designer fashion can go hand-in-hand. The changes also extend onto the conglomerate itself, which implements a reduction of travel and a strict no-plastics policy into its shoot programming.

Stone Island FW 19/20 Icon Imagery

After the opening of its new flagship store in Milan just last month, Stone Island and its Creative Director Carlo Rivetti are shifting the focus back on their garments by presenting the Fall/Winter 2019 Icon Imagery collection. Reminiscent of its predecessors, the assortment is all about color.

Many of the garments of the upcoming seasonal range are made in a variety of colors: from bright orange to neon green, from blue to grey and from black to white. A visual novelty and highlight is the use of a new special camo-styled fabric in Fall-friendly hues, rounding off the vast selection of outerwear garments of the Italian company. Behind the eye-catching vibrant aesthetic, Stone Island keeps up with signature detail of all its collections, the refinement and care in the materials.

Alongside the mainline and reflective pieces, such as new takes on the classic nylon metal jackets and a multi-colored parka, Stone Island allows us a sneak peek at the new monochromatic Ghost range, including a uniquely paneled bomber with an asymmetrical opening. www.stoneisland.com

Fashion

Christian Louboutin: The Exhibition

On a global level, fashion exhibitions have gained immense popularity over the last decade. As the exhibitions’ curation becomes more and more elaborate, the visitor numbers reach record-breaking levels. Following the major success of two exhibitions, “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” and “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams”, solely focussing on just one designer’s work and vision, iconic shoe designer Christian Louboutin is the next in line whose work is celebrated with a major exhibition.

Under the curation of Olivier Gabet, the Palais de la Porte Dorée dedicates a whole exhibition to the Parisian’s rich creativity and varying sources of inspiration. The designer’s vision and creative processes are explored in every facet through a selection of his most precious works from his personal collections and loans from public collections.

This exhibition presents one of the most complete collections of shoes, showcasing previously unseen historic and artistic pieces alongside a number of exclusive collaborations, which pay tribute to Louboutin’s admiration for craftsmanship and know-how.

For the first time, we are offered a full insight into one of fashion’s most outstanding minds and we will be able to follow what shaped the Parisian’s designs throughout his stellar career. The Palais de la Porte Dorée from which the French designer was fascinated and borrowed a whole repertoire of forms and motifs for his first designs, unquestionably underlines the exhibition’s personal touch and immersion into Louboutin’s creative spirit.

The exhibition will be open to the public from February 25th 2020 to July 28th 2020 in the Musée de la Porte Dorée in Paris.

David Zwirner at Art Basel

It is hard to imagine that any of the founding members knew what Art Basel would evolve into. Art Basel kept growing year-by-year, adding the new locations of Miami and Hong Kong, to eventually become the world-leading art fair. Their shows do not only connect collectors and galleries with established and emerging artists alike, but also offer the broad masses a glimpse into an otherwise opaque art world.

David Zwirner has witnessed Art Basel’s development as the gallery returns to Basel for the twenty-first consecutive year. For this year’s edition of Unlimited, the spotlight falls on Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ complete set of puzzles created between 1987 and 1992, Kerry James Marshall’s RYTHM MASTR Daily Strip (Runners), previously featured at the 2018 Carnegie International and Franz West’s interactive installation of sofas clad in colorful fabrics, on show for the first time since debuting in 1994.

Besides showcasing new works of a variety of artists, other highlights presented at the booth include new paintings by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, featured at Venice Biennale and Oscar Murillo, who was just nominated for the Turner Prize 2019.

In addition to this, David Zwirner announced the launch of Basel Online. Available from June 10th, this Online Viewing Room is David Zwirner’s digital exhibition space, offering visitors the possibility to explore new works by gallery artists as well as curated online-only exhibitions and special collaborations.

Art Basel will be open to the public from 13th to 16th of June at Messe Basel.

Holland Festival

Art is an essential and indispensable part of life. The value of art oftentimes exceeds creative expression and broadens our horizons by influencing and enriching our world view. Artists take a central role in today's society, crossing borders, collaborating worldwide across many disciplines and never shying away from sensitive subjects or deep messages.

The 72nd edition of the Holland Festival transforms the city of Amsterdam into an international cultural hub, celebrating the diversity of artists and their work all around the city. Perhaps more than before, a platform is provided to the artists, coming from Chile, Colombia, Germany and the United States among others, to bring pleasure to a broad audience, just as diverse as themselves. For the first time, this year a special focus is on associate artists, South African artist William Kentridge and Congolese Faustin Linyekula. Throughout the festival special prominence is given to their new works, exploring the inspiration, themes and ambitions.

The program includes a number of disciplines from the visual arts to theater and opera.

The Holland Festival, taking place all across Amsterdam, starts today and will last until June 23th.

The New Essential

Certain occasions require more than just a simple party. In honor of their 120th anniversary, German luggage manufacturer overworks its visual identity and embarks on a whole year of celebrations. The aim is to remind people of who they are and what they stand for.

The reimagination of their staple RIMOWA Essential is just a first step of this transformation. RIMOWA recognizes the traveler’s needs to make a statement even when traveling and revives the Essential in four distinct hues. As expected from RIMOWA, the colors were not chosen at random, but are reminiscent of the journey, often forgotten behind the focus on the destination. Each color is inspired by the fleeting impressions of the places in between, often only to be seen from the ariel view. The new colorways of the freshly monochrome Essential include Coral, Slate, Sage and Saffron yellow.

The RIMOWA Essential will be available in three sizes starting June 6th at RIMOWA stores and online.

Royal Ballet Flanders x Ermenegildo Zegna XXX

After a successful world premier at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, French choreographer Benjamin Millepied brings the Bach Studies (Part 2) to Antwerpen. In his Belgium debut, Millepied collaborates with the famous Royal Ballet of Flanders and Ermenegildo Zegna XXX.

As long-time friends, Alessandro Satori finds inspiration for this special collection in Millepied’s bold yet delicate choreography. Both discover a similar characteristic in their respective work, the fusing of traditional craft and knowledge with modernity. Designed with an intention to capture the energy of the beautifully moving body, the ecclesiastic silk and jersey dresses, in a combination of tonal or combined black and off-white, complete the silhouettes like a fourth dimension, making the performers seemingly fly on stage.

Birkenstock x Hotel Il Pellicano - Il Dolce Far Niente Collection

At first sight, the collaboration between the German traditional sandal manufacturer Birkenstock and the iconic Italian Hotel Il Pellicano seems a bit peculiar. After all, they do not seem to share a lot of similarities besides their worldwide renown.

Marie-Louise Sciò, Creative Director of Pellicano Hotel Group and herself an avid lover of the cult shoe explains that the heart of both lies a passion for materials of the highest quality and a timeless aesthetic.

Setting out with the goal to capture the spirit and style of the Tuscan hotel, they create a unique collection perfectly encapsulating the Italian Dolce Vita. The resulting Arizona sandals perfectly mirror the hotel’s understated and simple elegance, by only combining high-quality materials and craftsmanship with an eye for the details.

Seven designs are set to be launched and are available at the Hotel Il Pellicano or MATCHESFASHION.COM. Pre-orders of the collection launch on May 15th on MATCHESFASHION.COM, with the worldwide release scheduled for June 15th.

Double Birthday

To celebrate the ten year anniversary of its signature Peekaboo bag, the Italian luxury house FENDI continues its #MeAndMyPeekaboo campaign. With a series of videos in an intimate setting, featuring famous families, the Peekaboo bag is celebrated as if it had become an invaluable family member itself.

Following the likes of the Kardashians, the McGregor sisters or the pink-haired twins Ami and Aya, is the Italian businesswoman, entrepreneur and influencer Chiara Ferragni. It is for the occasion of her birthday, that FENDI has thrown the Italian an absolute dream of an luxury surprise party in its own Palazzo FENDI in Rome. The invited guests only counted the most inner circle of her family, the husband, rapper Fedez, her mother Marina di Guardo and the two sisters, Francesca and Valentina.

FENDI spares no cost, presenting her an imposing birthday cake, matching the breathtaking setting, which had been additionally decorated with a variety the brands exquisite leather bags.

With its campaign, FENDI celebrates family values. Just as you become part of the FENDI family, the Peekaboo bag will become a part of yours.

Everything is going to restart

When did we enter this state of war with each other? The feeling of defeat used to be rare, a symptom of testing the limits. Now, it feels more like the kind of dull ache you’d develop if you lived in a house with leaky pipes; a vague, tolerable heaviness that doesn’t go away. British designer Claire Barrow offers some hope that the end is in sight. The third installment of her Xtreme Sports mini-collections, Les Sports Extréme, pours thought on the theme of battles – both political and personal, socially and for the sake of the self. Her multidisciplinary entry point to art has fostered an illustrative capsule clothing line and short film, created by regular collaborator Daniel Swan, soundtracked by a self-authored song that jars lines from Les Misérables and new phrases that feel urgent to our time, fractured with the ad-libs and manic laughing of a characterful cast.

“You sometimes forget that the battle is still ongoing,” says Barrow, “things just seem hard now. There’s still hope, but I can’t help feel defeated by some of the evils. I wanted to embrace that despair in the collection a little.” The chaos that comes with losing control translates to the casual silhouettes of T-shirts, hoodies, silk wide-legs and scarves. Barrow breaks a dominant night blue base with innocent licks of baby pink, blue and yellow – sweet tones marred by distressing, patched with crying baby faces. Fantastical and historical figures form the intricate illustrations: dreamlike drawings of knights and teddy bears, pigeons and mermaids, clinging tightly to one another, hands held to harness the strength of a circle, while the rising figure of Lady Liberty, as immortalized by Eugène Delacroix, waves a flag into the new dawn. With their graffiti signatures, rips and ragged stitching, the Trash Barricade tees speak of resistance and division, imploring all around to declare their loyalties with the question, “What side are you on?” stamped at the back of the body.

“I was interested in how things are still left open, even after conflict,” Barrow says, “nothing is ever really resolved. Like the French Revolution: the people won, but we are still entrenched in the same discussion as we were then.” For once, someone is wrestling with the grey area, rather than falling by the fault lines of the black and white; with that, Barrow serves the solution of solidarity alongside the still-raw wounds of rivalry, hopefully a sign that peacetime will soon come.

Exhibition ‘Into the Light’

SR CONTERMPORARY ART Gallery opens its new exhibition for the Gallery Weekend in Berlin. The exhibition features the work of portrait and fashion photographer Tom Jacobi, who travelled two years over seven continents to capture archaic landscapes that are dominated by brightness.

Into the Light symbolises the striving towards light from out the darkness, in search for the meaning of life, gazing up towards the sun that fills with the brightest of all colors: white. White occupies a particular position in the spectrum of colors and has an essential influence and meaning in the exhibition and how the color is interpreted in different societies and cultures.

The exhibition will run from the 11th of April to the 20th of May at SR CONTEMPORARY ART.

Autonomous Intimacy

Every house is unique and has therefore its very own autonomous intimacy. It has an atmosphere that emerges out of a few characteristic factors; the place where it is situated, the people who live in that house, and their specific interests are aspects that create a certain interior. Rugstar decided to delve deeper into these autonomous spheres to find out more about the underlying influences of houses and how Rugstar’s carpets became part of their very own intimate interior.

Starting in Berlin, one of the most eccentric cities of Europe with a very autonomous identity.18 interiors styled by Rugstar were shot by Local photographer Michael Tewes. Each picture tells the home its intimate individual story. The setting appeals to your imagination about the people, their relationship and their lives that largely take place here. Berlin is a very open-minded city and also the people who live here have largely incorporated this thought into their personal environments. Styles are provocatively combined with each other and produce fascinating compositions that create a layered and profound story about what is going on inside these walls. Rugstar’s beautiful rugs are off course leading and add an individual element to each interior with themes like Adam & Eve, The Garden of Eden, and many more.

The second city is Portland, one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world with a very urban lifestyle. Photographer Laurie Black based in Portland took Rugstar to all the different kinds of homes in this very green metropolitan. Classic, authentic interiors are embellished with carpets containing graphic natural animal and plant prints executed in soft colors. These prints embody the Portland lifestyle wherein nature is fully coalesced with the urban city life. The inhabitants here have found a way to create an intimate urban design place that honors nature to the fullest.

The intimacy project is an expression of love for personal stories and through which inspirations they came about. In exchange for these, the Rugstar team will cook and share their vision about styling, designing and craftsmanship. Next stop: Beijing! Are you ready to share your autonomous story?

A Magical Place Where Devils are Good

The only connection that matters is the one with mother earth. In the middle of the Argentinian Andes, near the frontiers of the west, is a small town where everything is the opposite in order to re-define meaning. This place is called Uquía, which is located between Tilcsara en Humuaca and contains many different cultures and ethnical groups who already live together in harmony for ages. These people have one happening in common: Carnival! The northern Carnival connects everyone and is a festive whereon devils are good.

This magical place formed the ultimate podia to tell the story of the Premiata Spring / Summer 2019 collection. In this town can you find the impressive Iglesia San Francisco de Paula, a church that has two versions the other one is located in Havana, Cuba. The church is a magical place because it is on the Salinas Grandes, a large salty plateau located 3350 meters above sea level that emerged from a lake that dried up during the Holocene. This exact point is able to bring light, earth and sky all together in a magical way, so at night you can admire one of the most bright starry skies in the world.

Besides the great variety of cultures and ethnical groups, also a fusion originated through the years. One that is dominated by colorful devil costumes, adorned with mirrors to keep real evil spirits away. The Carnival is a ritual in which each individual and the community itself will re-connect with the purest joy in life. Premiata decided to support this very special celebration to maintain the survival of these authentic cultures.

Silhouettes Reimagined

In Balanciaga’s Winter 2019 collection, cuts, volume and fabrics reflect the inventiveness and attitude of the typical city dweller. Shapes are suspended and allow for unexpected movement with shoulders being shifted upwards and sleeves to be raised above shoulders. Hooded coats and incognito collars feature, as do lengthly trench-coats and robes which conceal a form and creates a concealed sense of mystery and anonymity. In classic Parisian style, outer-layers can be opted for wrapping and allow silhouettes to flow freely.

The brand enlists a more modern, mode take on the cocoon shape made from fake shearling and soft outer-layers. Kick skirts follow this theme, constructed from embroidered tweed and fake leather. Almost horned at the shoulders, biker sleeves are reworked to create volume, as are the extended and cropped pants.

Angularity and fluidity mingle with one another in this Winter 2019 collection. Building atop of the existing Balanciaga vocabulary that defies convention, new logotypes interplay with old ones, creating a harmonious balance between practicality and tension.

Marine Serre Fall 2019-2020

It has been a very short time since her debut, but Marine Serre has already conquered the industry.

The cutting edge attitude and vision have come strong at the latest show during the second day of Paris Fashion Week.

If last season we witnessed the collection on a bridge in the 18th arrondissement, this season set was poles apart: a wine cellar in Paris’s outskirts that looked more like a bunker.

Marine Serre dives further into her fascinations about fashion challenged by the current global eco-war: up-cycling garments found anywhere has been one of her signature. This season she envisions a post apocalyptic time where humans strive to survive in an underworld made of infinite darkness, waiting for the right moment to resurface

Yumi Tamura’s “7 Seeds” series surely comes to mind: The earth will soon be devastated and we will all forced to live underground waiting centuries for the air to be breathable again.

Fluorescent catsuits with the signature crescent moon, flowing scarf–dresses (obviously up-cycled scarves) and coats with big furry collars, all reminiscent of night creatures. There were anti-pollution masks created in collaboration with French specialized brand R-Pur, but also beautifully Marie-Antoinette garments constructed with couture skills. The denim, the plaid checks up-cycled from picnic blankets.

Marine Serre is not just having a new vision but she is also a very skilled designer. She is creating a new credo and we are all already subscribing.

LEE Jeans Campaign by Legend Jamel Shabazz

Steeped in 130 years of denim excellence, the Lee Jeans aesthetic is imbued with authentic hip hop stylings, its legacy sustained by the likes of LL Cool J, RUN DMC and Grandmaster Flash who all reference the heritage brand in their music, making Lee Jeans one of the most coveted pair of pants on the street and stapling its legacy and presence as a proud cultural icon.

Grounding the collection in its own rich history, Lee Jeans have sifted through their archives reimaging the old school attitude and iconic hip-hop aesthetic of the 1980s for their Spring/Summer 2019 line.

The generation-defining and legendary streetstyle photographer Jamel Shabazz who is responsible for having captured some of the most enduring imagery of the era has been enlisted for Lee’s Spring/Summer 2019 campaign. To mark the occasion, this collaboration between Shabazz and Lee Jeans will culminate in a limited-edition tribute book titled ‘Back in the Days’; a throw back to his original book of the same name containing the very best photographs from the SS19 campaign shoot in the original streets and neighbourhoods.

Straight-legged Lee Jeans double layered with Lee Rider Jackets are completed with tan, suede Wallabees and Adidas superstars in traditional urban street style finished with Kangol Bucket Hats and Cazal Sunglasses, savouring the spirit of the era for a new generation.

A Final Inheritance of Karl Lagerfeld

The Fendi Women's Fall / Winter 2019-2020 collection contains Karl Lagerfeld's last creations. Karl started his career as a design consultant for Fendi in 1965. He developed a special bond with the brand, which is characterized through unprecedented perseverance. Karl gave everything to his collections, whether it was Balmain, Valentino, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Chanel, Fendi or his own brand Karl Lagerfeld. For Lagerfeld, fashion was an endless thought about the expression of wealth and beauty, thoughts that will always live with Fendi, according to creative director Silvia Venturini Fendi.

The collection embodies the extremely creative, romantic track that Karl was always on. His work was a form of personal expression. In his career, Karl was always deeply engaged with the simplicity of the silhouette. Trompe l'oeil - a lasting signature – one he defined in this collection with dreamy and luxuriant scenes in contrast with the sharp geometric forms that were irresistibly illuminated. A beautiful game is played with neutral tones that are highlighted by counterparts such as light ivory tulle, warm cognac patent and terracotta calfskin, alternated with sublime shades such as sea green, mandarin and azure.

Cloque, organza and satin are leading. To compensate for these soft textures, large buttons, double zippers and extra large floating snare straps are added. Karl's own signature is also subtly processed; the collar of the pointy shirt is high and combined with fully pleated trousers, jacket pockets and asymmetrical revers. The geometry contains playful shifting lines that refer to sharp diamond shapes.

A nice detail is Karl's curling 'Karligraphy' FF logo monogram, which Karl designed in 1981 and is depicted on the cabochon buttons. The accompanying accessory collection is a wonderful addition. The classic baguette is available in pillow patent, topstitched vegetal leather with a multi-strap utility harness. There is also a spacious metal frame tote executed in shiny calf. Shoes include flat heels or pointed heels with high heels and contrast soles in shiny neoprene.

A collection that is almost a true blueprint of Karl's artistic heritage.

A Chorus of Voices

One house hosting a conglomerate of different voices. A creative hub of concentrated genius channels multiple energies and pushes visions that speak to all generations of customers. Moncler has thrown out the rulebook, promoting access as the very highest form of inclusivity for contemporary customers in this digital era.

Unveiled on 20th February in Italy’s fashion capital, Milan, the Genius collections consists of works from the likes of Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, Craig Green and Hiroshi Fujiwara.

Moncler will open the Moncle Genius building to the general public on 24th February. Different rooms harbour different visions, each one operating singularly and isolated from one another, the sum of which manifesting as the Genius Moncler identity.

The classic human form is utterly redefined through the use of artful language and unique lenses from the designers. Swirling silhouettes swarm the space in the couture lines, the extravagance confirming the freedom philosophy of the brand, unshackled by conformity. International heritages from vintage to urban to military to tech are made full use of, showcasing an open roof of ambition and relishing in demolishing boundaries.

Manipulating fabrication with a keen awareness for space, Moncler joins the body with materials and with the space they inhabit in a incomparable, thrilling way: a multiplicity of identities melting into one.

The Visual Spheres of Günter Rössler

Günter Rössler is one of the early leading Eastern bloc photographers that exposed the everyday life of the DDR. At a time that was characterized by scarcity and limited access to cultural influences, in particular Western pop culture, Rössler developed his own autonomous signature. He represented the DDR with a typical aesthetic that not only told the story but also made it feel as though you are part of it.

Günter Rössler studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Leipzig. In 1951 he started his empire as a freelance fashion and journalistic photographer. His work intriguingly told the various stories about the DDR’s social life. After a number of years, Rössler started to focus on fashion photography and grew into a true pioneer. His authentic and spontaneous approach created exceptional photographs that told a personal story and at the same time expressed a certain aesthetic.

The work has been published for years in East Germany's leading fashion magazine, Sibylle. In 1981 Rössler was admitted to the Verband Bildender Künstler der DDR (Association of visual artists of the DDR). In 1996 he also became a member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Photographie (German Association for Photography). After his breakthrough as a fashion photographer, Rössler became one of the pioneers that introduced nude photography as a movement in modern art within the walls of the DDR. His first solo exhibition in 1979 presented in the Kunsthaus Grimma had a big impact. His nude models were exposed as strong natural women with a lot of self-confidence, which made them seem almost sculptural. Rössler's signature was in contrast with the standards of Western nude photography, which was less subtly produced. His work has depth and went beyond merely showing a naked woman. His work was therefore also noticed outside the walls of the DDR, magazines such as Fotographie, Fotokino-Magazin, Das Magazin, Modische Maschen, and even Playboy published it regularly.

After an impressive career as photographer and artist, Günter Rössler died in 2012. He left a memorable oeuvre behind that will always be remembered as one of the leading signatures in German photography. APITIS Studios / Berlin is therefore presenting ‘Akt und Mode’, an exhibition that covers his most important visual spheres through the years.

‘Akt und Mode’ is presented in APITIS Studios in Berlin from 15 February until 28 April 2019 and has free access.

Flooded in News

Jeremy Scott, NY Fashion week Fall/Winter 2019

Jeremy Scott thinks that we are guided by the order of the day: the news cycle. Sensational and earth-shaking headlines keep us in their grips, a trap that is hard to escape. Scott wants to make people aware of this issue and designed this collection together with artist Aleksandra Mir, who does not hesitate about mapping the present in a confrontational way.

The endless news cycle does not only make us spectators but also witnesses, victims and perpetrators of an event, something that does not only affect our view on politics, but also pop-culture. Scott’s Autumn / Winter collection 2019 forms therefore a declaration on this tendency.

Mir brought the New York Post and the New York Daily news to life by enlarging the blown-up headlines into large graphic expressions, which are displayed large on the clothing. The collective obsession with salubrious headlines, false scenarios and click-bait drama causes unnecessary tension and divides societies into different groups, something that according to Scott is an unnecessary pattern and must be broken. His designs reflect the latest news that penetrates our lives so uninvitedly. Only black and white have been used to emphasize the contrast and to get into the graphic atmosphere.

Fabrics such as soft and liquid vinyl printed with blazing headlines formed in geometric dresses with a full zoom give the headlines a new context. Denim and leather also dominate and are embellished with a precious counterpart: Swarovski crystals.

Preformed bustiers are interspersed with layered feather-light tulle skirts - again transparency and layering play an important role. Today's catastrophes are covered in chiffon, the scandals of tomorrow in sequins, silk and tulle to express the horror and displeasure of this time.

By placing the powerful images in a different context, another meaning is created and that is exactly what Scott wants to give us.

Groove producer FKJ

A new generation of pioneering musicians is taking over! Contemporary artists like Tash Sultana, Jordan Rakei and FKJ (French Kiwi Juice) conquer the world as solo multi-talents with niche productions that often enclose multiple genres. They are a DJ, a producer and an artist all at once and continually explore their horizons by entering into surprising collaborations mostly based on improvisation.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, 27 year-old Vincent Venton (FKJ) from Tours, France gave two sold-out amazing one-man performances in Paradiso, Amsterdam. He can play almost every instrument both electric and acoustic with a focus on bass guitar, electric guitar, keyboard, saxophone, and he also has a modest jazzy voice. His oeuvre is influenced by electronic, rhythm and blues, soul, neo-soul, R&B, hip-hop, and even house. He already gave concerts at music festivals including EUPHORIA, CRSSD and Coachella.

FKJ seems to be in a very relaxed vibe during his performance. He does not talk or sing much; he just plays in a very sincere way. But when he sang live, it was more like he was talking, telling short stories. His keyboard and saxophone solos sounded like naturally improvised sessions that just aroused on the spot. FKJ recently jammed with fellow musician and producer Tom Misch at the Red Bull Studios in Berlin where “Losing My Way” got born. Last summer FKJ collaborated with Jamaican “traphousejazz producer” Micah Davis, better known as Masego (which means blessing in Tswana). “Tadow”was created, a piece of music that emerged from an undeniable shared chemistry.

Despite FKJ being alone, he looped his riffs and solos to give the illusion of a fully performing band of at least five members. While doing this, he mixed-in these earlier collaborations, giving the impression of Misch and Masego really being there. You also clearly hear that FKJ is touched and inspired by previous soul and jazz icons for example American R&B and disco singer Thelma Houston.

Making music is acting from the soul for FKJ. Rhythms are relatively simple and there is a lot of repetition, but the way in which all the layers flow into one another is the music of FKJ. Sit down, do not think about it, and do what feels right.

ELECTRIC CO - RE-Couture

Enchanted by clear pencil lines that tell more… Designer Conny Groenewegen captures her imagination into spatial drawings that make you almost part of it. The boundaries between 2D and 3D are a continuing signature in her art.

With a background in Art and Fashion, specifically knitting, she created a special relationship with interlocking loops coming from one continuous thread. When you make another manoeuvre, the pattern breaks. In conclusion: “you cannot impose or force anything without causing damage.” This theory turned into a philosophical approach for Groenewegen that resulted into the Fashion Machine-project; a suggestion to reconsider fixed archetypal forms. By changing forms, textures, materials and settings, new interesting insights appear and create another perspective to redefine the type.

The ELECTRIC CO artwork is a creation of a plastic monofilament that carries a rigid knitted structure in combination with softer, woollen yarns. The constructed 3D element emphasizes the upper body’s muscle contours and re-codes. At the same time the archetypal shapes of classical sweaters and bomber jackets accommodate ELECTRIC CO’s vibrant dynamics > electricco.co.

Photographer Anouk van Kalmthout photographed the artwork and created a mystifying universe. The picturesque, colorful and especially abstract landscapes give a dreamy feeling which impersonates this association of free interpretation. The lively use of light and shadow in fusion with the disorienting perspective gives this artwork a free sense to express. These photographs are an infinite vision full of the world’s fortuitous.

Existenz

The Nussbaum Haus, built by architect Daniel Libeskind, dedicated to artist Felix Nussbaum in Osnabrück presents the spatial drawing “Existenz” of artist Brigitte Waldach. The installation gives the spirit of German-Jewish surrealist painter Felix Nussbaum an unexpected rebirth. His art gives an artistic insight into the life of one individual among the victims of the Holocaust. He was that individual itself who lived for a long time in fear of Nazi terror, a fear that has always characterized his work.

Waldach's spatial drawing embodies the center of existence in a distorted cube. With frightened excerpts and thoughts in the background coming from letters written by Felix Nussbaum.

The space expresses the "Raum für Gegenwart", which means the room of existence. Every wall illustrates a component of existence. On the wall of the "brain" the star of David is portrayed. This immediately recalls the gruesome persecutions, but for millennia this “star” has represented a spiritual unity. Waldach emphasizes this idea with white and black lines that merge and mirror the visible and invisible world of a fearful life. Through it weaves a red thread that reflects the lifeline of Nussbaum. A line that indicates how the fate of a young Jewish artist led to atrocious persecution.

This artwork is an ode to Nussbaum, but at the same time it is also an analysis of the life cycle. The individual circle of life is characterized by the endless creation and passing of different stages of activity. Between birth and death we experience situations of departure, separation, isolation, doubt and the constant presence of existential fear. The course of a life is a line of actions and reactions that an individual experiences.

An ‘It’ Bag Revived

Fendi’s ‘Baguette,’ one of the original ‘it’ bags, is back for Spring/Summer 2019. And while the Men’s Fashion Week show in Milan showed that even the boys are loving it, there is no shaking the little bag’s status as a feminine classic. With three storylines to its name and a host of stylish starlets among its fans, this is definitely a bag to unbox for a night out with your girls. Fendi’s new #BaguetteFriendsForever project celebrates the revival with three friendship-themed shorts set in Shanghai, Hong Kong and New York.

The first episode — The Baguette is Back— is set in Shanghai and stars actresses Tan Zhuo and Qiao Xien, as well as fashion influencers Yu Wei and Yoyo. The Missing Baguette, the Hong Kong instalment, follows Taiwanese DJ Dizzy Dizzo, Japanese model Hikari Mori, Korean DJ Peggy Gould and ‘it’ girl Yoyo Can as they search the city for their objet du désir.

The One and Only Baguette, set in New York, sees influencers Caro Daur and Natasha Lau and models Ebonee Davis and Melissa Martinez, racing to buy a Baguette.

All three films are scored with Groove Armada’s My Friend.

The accessory — designed by Silvia Venturi Fendi in 1997 and subsequently seen on anyone who was anyone in the Nineties — made a strong resurgence during the brand’s S/S19 womenswear show, embellished and embroidered, fashioned in brightly-coloured, ‘FF’ detailed leathers and befitting any socialite’s wardrobe. For the men’s show this month, the baguette was re-imagined in nylon and leather cross-body iterations, with the classic hand-held style appearing on the catwalk in shearling and faux fur.

Hermès Fall 2019 Men

French pioneer of modern architecture Auguste Perret and his spectacular reinforced concrete aesthetic welcomed us at the Hermès show last Saturday, after a difficult day for France with the Yellow Vest protest that fired across the city.

When arriving at the venue, housing the Mobilier National - the French national supplier of furniture to the royal family first and every official building – the guests were thrown into an ecstatic moment of appreciation: the show was set in the storeroom where all the magnificent armchair and sofas from Art Deco to Louis XIV were laid one after the other.

This landscape of emotion created the perfect setting for Véronique Nichanian’s collection. As magnificently as the upholstery in the background, Nichanian created a modern and extremely sharp Menswear both in the silhouettes and in the intentions.

It is rare today to see a Fashion house not to be tempted to create pieces draw from the current need for the extreme. Admirably Véronique Nichanian stays true to her aesthetic creating a collection made of refined gestures that doesn’t renounce to address a smart and young audience.

Take the beautiful leather carrot pants declined in all colours, from blue to caramel. Combined with knitwear or with leather bomber jackets with geometric contrasting elements. Or the oversized shearling and leather trench in a splendid burgundy tone.

Suits appeared sharp and worn with them with a roll-neck or zip-neck jumper in iridescent colourful hues underneath, giving a smart take on suiting.

It was fun to see a dragon silhouette on bags reminiscent of the Chinese Zodiac

The alluring power of heritage once again flame in this iconic Frech maison

Yohji Yamamoto Fall 2019 Mens

When not long ago Yohji Yamamoto himself held a live concert in Tokyo playing his beloved guitar we couldn’t help but be extremely excited. The reserved - at times almost introvert – Japanese maestro performing his music on a real stage!

For us who love his poetic and admire him unconditionally it was a natural gesture. We all wanted to be there. And when the sound of his soft voice pervaded the show venue for his Fall 2019 Menswear a soft melancholy, recalling that iconic moment surfaced embracing the whole collection.

The same soft melancholy of the silk thread on blazers and coats, the layered volumes signature of Yamamoto’s poetic: fluid large pants tucked in laced boots, coats on jackets approaching and slowly – in the Yamamoto’s signature models pace – as out of a majestic army.

It is not a stretch to feel the pathos recalling the uniform of the late Hijikata Toshiz? in Shinsengumi’s final battle in 1868.

Backstage Yamamoto playfully stated to some journalists the reason of the floating treads was due to having forgotten to cut them away, but we know his extreme humble nature drives miles away from the fashion circus where every gesture needs to be overly hyped.

Dries Van Noten Fall 2019 Mens

The sound of cicadas, and summer breeze. A warm male voice starts talking in Italian: “According to Proust the only true paradise is a paradise lost. It is a famous quote. But I dare to add that there might exist paradises even more appealing than the lost ones: the ones we never lived, the places and the adventures we barely see afar, not at our back like the lost paradise filling us with nostalgia but in front of us, in a future that maybe as a dream coming true we can finally reach... Maybe the we really stop being young when we miss and love only the paradise lost”. It’s no other than Marcello Mastroianni’s voice in his “Mi ricordo, si io mi ricordo”, filmed in September 1996 in Portugal with a small troupe of close friends . A collection of memories, reflections around his life and the human nature itself.

For his Fall 2019 Menswear ‘s soundtrack Dries Van Noten choose these words together with fragments of other notable man who inspires him since the beginning: John Lennon, David Hockney, David Bowie, amongst the others.

As Mastroianni’s words are an ode to youth and a spur to life the fullest, Dries Van Noten addressed his elegant collection to a younger audience, striving to live free from stereotypes: beautifully floating boxy suits are styled with quilted scarves wrapped around them rendering them an appealing staple for the young client, far from streetwear. Oversized double-breasted blazers are presented next to hourglass silhouettes, belted jackets - at times in leather - suits. A splash of colourful tie-dye prints on coats, shirts and sweaters provided that nonchalant playful personality Dries is known for. David Bowie melancholy echoed in the finale “For we're creatures of the wind. And wild is the wind”

Multi-Influenced Antony Morato Collection Arrives

As the Spring/Summer 2019 season creeps up on us, Antony Morato introduces us to his new collection inspired by a myriad of vibrant themes, culminating in a maximalist style that reflects this array of artistic influences.

The first inspiration submerges us in the nautical world of deep blues and denims, sands and melange greys. This simplicity is embellished with cute, charming anchor stripes and rope prints.

British culture also seeps into this lively collection - a bold Rock&Go theme reminiscient of the UK hardcore punk scene with ever distinct red-black tartans and playful prints such as bulldogs, flowers, comic-style lips.

Organic, raw fabrics transport us to the animal kingdom with natural cotton and prints featuring leaves, flowers and animals, more apparent in the hybrid jacket with bomber sleeves and two colour yellow/khaki jacket.

A dusty darker palette of burgundys, mustards and muddy browns are accompanied by excessive print, patterns and embroidery characteristic of gipsy folk culture.

Playful Drama

Odeeh's Jörg Ehrlich and Otto Drögsler want to create some drama for FW19. They conceptualized strong, individual pieces that can stand on their own. Many of the pieces play with opposites and challenge our understanding of a classic. Instead Ehrlich and Drögsler play on emotions with playful silhouettes. We see a dress with a pleated skirt and denim contrasts, a voluminous pink dress with fringe that teeters like feathers. What could have been all over the place comes together quite nicely with a limited color palette and standalone prints which find just the right balance.

The starting point for this collection was a 1920s workwear shirt found on one of their vintage tours in London. Both immediately translated that into a shirt in a fairly similar cut, but made from gray cashmere with an added pink fake fur collar. Low-slung waists too reference the 20s and show off Odeeh's nonchalant approach to the gender binary.

Brunello Cucinelli’s Fall Line Tailored for the Debonair Gentleman

The Brunello Cucinelli Fall 2019 menswear collection personifies the wardrobe of the dapper modern gentleman. Fusing together a look that marries plush comfort with simplistic elegance, a distinctive retro flavour can be detected with some statement items and most notably in the liberal use of corduroy, velvet and moleskin fabrics.

No more is the stress on comfort epitomised that in the loose fitting pants and jumpers, quintessentially evocative of cutting, crisp winter evenings. Hearty, earthy understated tones of camel, burgundy and smalt blue with splashes of grey, concoct a palette that suffuses class. The range features all the conventional pieces you would expect from Brunello Cucinelli, from cashmere turtlenecks to poplin shirts, from tweed jackets to padded gilets. However it is the strong, stiff suits accented with muted silk pocket squares and the uninhibited use of atypical materials that really sets this collection apart.

A sheer sense of balance and attention to finer details allows for a cool, crisp finish appealing to the suave, dignified debonair gentleman exuding elegance and sophistication.

Grand Hall Bulbs Light Up For Prada

The grand hall of the Deposito hosted the Prada Fall/Winter 2019 show this past weekend displaying the very latest in Men and Women’s wear. The setting, a cold industrial floor dimly lit by sparsed out singular lightbulbs. This performative landscape injected a sense of theatre and spectacle whilst cultivating an atmosphere of mystery and discovery, evoking the Tesla-Edison experiments of a bygone error and tropes of science fiction.

In the spotlight, layers of clean, simplistic lines in deep, warm hues are set against decorated accessories and dizzying, colorful, almost psychedelic patterns — echoing the futuristic motif of the show. As always, and in characteristic Prada style, the collection does not shy away from colour and embellishment, oozing looks that ring fresh whilst still retaining the sense of class and classicism so staple to the brand.

BREAKING: PRADA TEST SUBJECTS ESCAPE

Seven subjects have escaped Prada’s imaginary futuristic laboratory. An innocent journey of discovery has morphed into a riotous episode of harmless magic. Disco, Socks, Fiddle, Otto, Toto, Scuba, and Spot came into being as a team of researchers set out to study the extraordinary DNA of Italian fashion brand, PRADA. Their research became fantastical and a series of experiments involving the heart of Prada produced astonishing results.

Having escaped Prada’s, top secret, non-existent test facility, New York design studio 2x4 (serial Prada collaborators) provided the innocent creations with refuge. 2x4 studied the creatures and designed each member of the family their own color-coded pouch, case and character booklet complete with personal biography and insight into their unique abilities, anatomy, and behavior.

With the fugitives contained, Disco, Socks, Fiddle, Otto, Toto, Scuba, and Spot can be found in Prada stores and online at Pradamalia.com in the form of keychain tricks, earring sets, and necklace charms.

Fendi Mania

Fendi-Mania - an extreme enthusiasm or desire; an obsession for Fendi. Every collection is a celebration for Fendi; pandemonium is in the air again with the Fendi-Mania capsule collection.

Fendi has the city of Rome coursing through its veins and deep into its DNA. There is an air of the city in Fendi and the city is awash with Fendi. But Fendi is bigger. Fendi is a universe filled with inspiration that has evolved into a glowing exchange of positive energy.

Enter center stage, Fendi-Mania. A capsule collection inspired by the streets, the millennials and the ironic soul of the brand. The FENDI/FILA logo popularised by Instagram creator @hey_reilly sets the tone for the collection drenched in sporty, musical references, dripping in some of the loudest colors on the spectrum in patterns that astonish as they dazzle.

Shot entirely on iPhone, with entirely millennial models Fendi-Mania feels free and fearless. Ready to wear, encompasses, men, women, and kids with accessories aplenty, available from October the 16th.

Stone Island launches Iridescent Tela Collection

Stone Island is a brand that lives to explore — their military logo symbolizes love for the sea and constant search, discovery is in their blood. This penchant for discovery has led Stone Island on a quest for innovation.

During the embryonic phase, before their inception into the fashion world, the company worked with a new fabric: ‘Tela Stella’ — a cloth with different colors on each side that was to be used to make tarpaulins for trucks. This heavy-duty material later took life as seven utilitarian coats, and became a benchmark for Stone Island’s creativity.

Now, the desire for continual experimentation has given life to the Iridescent Coating Tela collection. Iridescent nylon bonded to a golden pink polyurethane film fuses with Reflex Mat: a reflective nylon canvas with a matte coating made with thousands of glass microspheres to create six intergalactic garments. The collection is availble now.

Highlights from Milan Fashion Week

Max Mara Spring 2019

Measured elegance has fared so well under Ian Griffiths roll as Creative Director for Max Mara. Taking us back to those classical fits that the brand is known for. But this time the fits definitely got a modern tornado running over them. Added with leather elements and tights skirts mixed with padded - shoulder coats

Emporio Armani Spring 2019

This year Armani returned to its home again, Milan. And with that return they took over 170 looks with them to the airport where the show took place. It was a great mixture of textiles running from wide jeans to classic suits, and basically everything that comes in between. One thing is sure: Armani proves us his great variety of fabrics and styles for upcoming season.

Highlights from London Fashion Week

Victoria Beckham Spring 2019

Spring 2019 is a collection of growth to mark an iconic decade for Victoria Beckham. A decade in which Victoria has blossomed into an empowering stalwart of the fashion industy.

“What we did was celebrate being different. We showed it was okay to be who you are,”- Beckham said. “And that’s what this is about—empowering women through fashion. All women are different, and there’s something for everybody.”

Rimowa celebrates its 120th anniversary

Famous German company of premium luggage Rimowa celebrates their 120th anniversary with their first globally integrated campaign.

In honor of this milestone Rimowa invited a host of celebrities to New Yorks, 7 World Trade Centre. The famous faces included men’s Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton Virgil Abloh, Dior Men’s jewellery designer Yoon Ahn, model Adwoa Aboah, international chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa and Swiss professional tennis player Roger Federer. Rimowa gifted each guest with a personalized leather luggage tag, graffitied by American artist Curtis Kulig with his signature "Love Me" to mark the occasion. Guests also took time to share their personal interpretations of what travel has meant for their lives.

“What makes this campaign very different than any other is that these aren’t typical endorsements, these are people who have been traveling with Rimowa for many years,” says Muelas. “Their own suitcases are in the campaign.”

The campaign also marks the beginning of an exclusive partnership between Roger Federer and RIMOWA that will extend to various projects over the next two years.

Woolrich releases new capsule collection designed by Ms. Lauryn Hill

American brand Woolrich announces ‘Woolrich: American Soul since 1830’ Fall/Winter 2018 starring the iconic Ms. Lauryn Hill in her first ever fashion campaign. This campaign marks the beginning of a new era for Woolrich rooted in authentic creators who define American innovation and reflect the creative magic in the soul of the brand. Ms. Lauryn Hill – American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actress designed and customized the new limited-edition capsule collection. It will launch in Woolrich stores worldwide and in collaboration with top retailers in North America and Europe.

“The opportunity to work with Ms. Lauryn Hill was the perfect start to our ongoing ‘American Soul’ project, highlighting Woolrich’s American heritage. We wanted Ms. Lauryn Hill to bring her unique artistic eye to the product and DNA of the brand so we invited her to put her own spin on these classic Woolrich styles, reflecting her interpretation of ‘American Soul.’” – explained Andrea Canè, Creative Director of Woolrich.

Aesop opened a new signature store in Nuremberg

Australian skin care brand owned by Brazilian company Natura opened a new elegant store of 40 square meters in Nuremberg. New shopping space situated on Fleschbrucke and designed in-house by Aesop, and executed by Munich-based design studio einszu33.

The space appears almost as a cinematic tableau. Screed concrete, velvet, visible from pavement outside that swathes a wall behind the display window and rusty iron — invite tactile exploration and realize a sense of refined domesticity. Clients can explore skin care products and also products for body and hair, distinguished by botanical and laboratory-generated ingredients of the highest quality.

Wood Essence by BVLGARI

Italian luxury brand BVLGARI introduced a fragrance ‘’Wood Essence’’ with the energy of nature for the cosmopolitan man living in harmony with his environment.

The new perfume sensation is made by master perfumer Alberto Morillas who combines intense woody tones with bright citrus accents. This fragrance is an exciting addition to the BVLGARI Man collection.

BVLGARI Man Wood Essence included coriander extract and zest of Italian lemon, Cypress wood and Haitian vetiver extract, Benzoin from Siam cedar wood and amber chord. The result: a final touch of invigorating power. This eau de parfum proves that the perfect balance between city and nature is not only possible, but also necessary.

It is so good to be bad

Sensuality and femininity strongly force together with hopeless romance and fearless independence for the new fragrance GOOD GIRL by Caroline Herrera.

The mid-night blue stiletto bottle with golden heel epitomises New York’s style, defining elegance and sophistication, reflecting the Herrera women who are confident and powerful by nature.

To capture the perfect scent for the sophisticated and complex woman of today, Caroline turned to a true master when it comes to perfumery: Louise Turner, creating The House’s new fragrance that captures and celebrates Caroline's high-spirited duality.

Weightlessness - Ermenegildo Zegna SS19

The airy silhouettes unveil hybrid forms, playing with experimental collars and double sleeves. Mantaining a sobrious yet contemporary language, a very pale color palette reinforces the outlines of Sartori’s metropolitan aesthetics. The collection includes bombers, parkas and anoraks, which are combined with tailored high-waisted double pleat trousers. Perforations, degrade checks and souvenir prints enhance the feel of immateriality.

"Creation for me always stems from a technical challenge. I am presenting shapes that are bold and voluminous, yet very light, in layers of meshes, wools, silks.” says Zegna artistic director Alessandro Sartori “I found the same challenge in the architecture of this space. It is the perfect place to unleash the Zegna crew of individuals who recognize themselves in the XXX logo, which runs from the clothes to the set-up, unifying the message: a symbol of couture craft that is also the most personal and unexpected expression of Zegna”.

Here and Now – Roberto Cavalli SS19

The astute combination of athletic tailoring and clean proportions determines the contemporary spirit of the outerwear, knitwear chinos, slouchy bermudas and shorts proposals.

Stretching from pure white to decisive black, the range explores the full chromatic scale and especially focuses on hybridized animal motifs, which enhance the sensation of a concrete jungle.

Functional rather than decorative, the artisanal feel is still evident, sophisticatedly recalled through precious intarsia and Macrame details on the knitwear.

On the occasion of Roberto Cavalli Menswear Show at the Pitti Immagine Uomo, the brand launches also the men's eyewear collection developed with Marcolin.

As well, all the accessories accentuate a juvenile, swagger attitude. Materials play a key role in the determination of this new urban vocabulary.

Eye-shelding visors and and polymath running shoes define the outlines of the ultimate luxury, which follows the speed of the concrete landscape, here and now.

Art

Italian elegance in the big city

In the heart of Manhattan, at 160 Madison Avenue, a modern and unique store is opening its doors. This is the first Flagship Store of Moteni&C, Dada, and UniFor, joining forces to project the classic and elegant Italian style into New York City. A collaboration between aesthetic and cultural harmony mixed with personality and imagination.

Showcasing the concept of a modern art collector’s house, the store hosts a collection of works by contemporary artists. Discover monochrome sculptures by Santo Tolone and pop hieroglyphics by Stephen Felton alongside the works of young artists.

Designed by Vincent van Duysen, the store also creates a platform to support artists in the height of their creativity that will be presented at the Molteni Museum.

Music

News from another planet: King Krule performs live on the moon

Just stop for 30 minutes, wear your astronaut gear and let him overwhelm you with his warm voice and brazen sight.

As a matter of facts, Archy Marshall aka King Krule has relocated to the moon to record his latest music video, performing 8 tracks from the most recent album “The Ooz”. In a very short sequence, the video opens with the singer laying down on the bad looking at the moon, which is then mirrored in his blue eyes.

Afterwards, we find him wearing a space suit and the performance begins. Is it a dream or is it reality?

Over the years, the Londoner has been able to show the world an innate talent in experimenting with different music genres, which continuously float between punk, jazz, hip hop and loading them with an intensely dark sound.

Besides that, his fascination and approach to visual cultures expands the comprehension of his music, making its concept even more psychedelic and somehow referential. If Lizard’s state (2014) black and white video is an open tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, on the other way around, in “Dum Surfer”(2017) we are absorbed by a creepy scenario where both the band members and red curtains are reminiscent of David Lynch Twin Peaks’ character the Giant.

“Live on the moon” would perhaps recall another British dude who bring his music on another planet in 1969. Space oddity, anyone? There is a lot of material, though.

Yet originality lies in trasforming exhisting things in totally new ones, and Marshall is undoubetely trascending the more diverse languages to create his own style.

The turbulent soul will tour around USA starting from April, while for those like us who would love to see him live in Europe will have to wait because after all, he just started walking 6 feet beneath the moon.

The B-Way: Berluti launches their new range of accessories

For Fall 2018, Berluti introduces their new series for bags and shoes.

Paying tribute to manuscripts and the calligraphy established by Olga Berluti, the B-way range features seven proposals, this time exposing the nylon traditionally used for the Venezia trolleys.

Featuring a water repellent finish, as well as the patinated Venezia leather and the iconic Scritto motif, Complice cross-body bag, Evasion sporty bag and Volume MM backpack stand out for their urban design and sporty characteritics.

With a great focus on versatility, some products feature a double function. For instance, Duo is an extra-large bag in technical fabric, nylon and calf leather, which can be worn as a tote or on the shoulders, while Esprit is a compact ouch thought to be used both as a clutch and bag organizer.

To complete the accessories range, the Croquis toiletry case includes a comfortable internal pocket, while the Fast Track shoes combine the sporty soul of a sneaker with the mountain style of Brunico and Greta Garbo boots.

Practical yet extremely devoted to a very classical and clean design, the new collection will be available in Berluti stores from April 2018.

Fashion

LIFEWEAR: Uniqlo + Tomas Maier

Japanese brand Uniqlo has announced the launch of their very first resort collection, released in collaboration of iconic Tomas Maier. Thought as a versatile escape from everyday life, the new series for both men and women will combine the two houses’ aesthetics, with a key focus on confort and wide use of innovative and high quality materials, such as AIRism fabric, extra-fine cotton and 100% cashmere for the knitwear. The womenswear includes tops, dresses, a polo-shirt and a stylish swimwear piece that can be used as loungewear too. The mens’ proposals focus on jackets, t-shirts, polo shirts and shorts that function as swimming trunks, unveiling a color range of navy blue, black and khaki hues. Starting from Thursday the 17th of May the LifeWear series will be available online and in 19 stores worldwide, celebrating the flexible, relaxed freedom of modern elegance.

Fashion

Highlights from Paris Fashion Week

It’s now turn for Paris to showcase the most cutting-edge designers and their proposals for Fall 2018. In less than a day, the vibrant appointment with fashion has already turned into an inspiring cultural hub.

With a mood inspired by Morocco, Jacquemus unveils a very original interpretation of this warm land. The collection is an exploration sandy tones and primary full colors that highlights the depth of necklines. Sensual and extremely sophisticated, light knits dresses are worn like a second skin. In addition, cuts and layers alternate with flowing fabrics that uncover the body, yet inform a strong sense of modern elegance.

Mini-dresses and hyper-structured shoulders define the stylish attitude for the vertical silhouettes that Anthony Vaccarello selects for Saint Laurent. The imaginary brings back to the rock scene of the Eighties, as well as the richness of embroideries and transparencies underlines a youth spirit taking over the rebellious cuts. Although a dark palette drives the mood of the collection, materials and details such as velvet, studs and trimmings enrich jackets with a sophisticated touch of glamour.

When the attitude is revolutionary, then a reference to youth movements in 1968 is mandatory. With her collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri opens Dior show with a sweater featuring “C’est non non non! permeates the atmosphere with lot of vintage fashion magazine covers on the runway floor, unveiling a wearable chic students-wear that combines sporty tailored jackets, printed T-shirts and transparent shirts, long dresses and and skirts.

Earthy colors, leaves prints and a giant tree setting the stage. This is how Lacoste presents their collection in Paris, and everything seems a gentle ode to the essentiality of nature. Both men and women take their walk in a relaxed allure, which combines street-style elements with a more sober elegance.

Casual sweaters enriched by natural drawings are paired with wide trousers, while maxi turtleneck ponchos comfortably flow over the body. For the women, dresses feature asymmetrical cuts and flaring sleeves. The menswear works on layers, unveiling casual combinations of hoodie sweaters under classic suits and interesting proposals for the outerwear.

Precise cuts, oval collars, tone-on-tones long asymmetrical duchess dresses in satin revealing plunging necklines are embellished by adjustable belt and precious details. Sober and linear, Lanvin collection is highlighted by luminous shades of orange, fucsia or emerald green. Leather midi pencil skirts in different shades are paired with tight turtleneck sweaters creating a modern look, while a fluid peachy shirt-dress achieves romantic elegance with a cascade of little treasures on the front.
This is Olivier Lapidus' language and vision, which the digital couturier brings at the historical Maison.

Set in the marvellous Hotel de Ville, Dries van Noten presents an incredibly rich collection. Light blue, deep purple, warm orange and several green hues, from watery tones to distinctive neon shades set the base for something like a magnetic elegance. All the jackets are oversized embodying masculine cuts, while floral prints and the abundance of embroideries take over long, fluid dresses.
Classic pencil or pleated skirts are infused with metallic panels and paired with soft sweaters and luminous wide blouses, which glorify the feel of powerful femininity and grace.

Fashion

Highlights from Milan Fashion Week

With over 64 fashion shows, Milan Fashion Week is likely the most outstanding event of the year. From the 20th to the 26th February, several brands have unveiled their energetic womenswear proposals for Fall 2018, once again consolidating designers’ ability to interrelate the world of fashion with art and topics of sociological relevance.

Radically political, Prada presents a neo-retro-futuristic collection narrating the Milan’s night cityscape and focusing on how women feel when walking alone during the night. Set in the newly constructed Tower by OMA, everything is intensified by the darkness of the floor, where models wear layered looks, featuring workwear elements combined with organza, tulle and tweed. Fluorescent digital prints as well as new Prada neon signs illuminate the atmosphere and work as signage over technical materials. With her collection, Miuccia Prada once again use the artistic mean to mark an important statement strongly standing up for women and their freedom.

Alessandro Michele loves reinterpreting past cultures. With his new collection set in a claustrophobic operational room, the designer invites us to be overwhelmed by the complexity of the creative process. With models carrying baby dragons, chameleons and severed heads, Gucci Cyborg is a complex imaginative ensemble of fine materials and vintage quotations. Showcasing knitted balaclava, lurex jackets, feathered sleeves, organza dresses combined with iconic american Paramount Logo or cult movies like “Faster, Pussycat! Kill, Kill!”.

Apparently, truth is out there. An extraterrestrial fantasy leads the mood of Moschino by Jeremy Scott, who gives form to a conspiracy theory according to which Jackie Kennedy was an alien. Therefore, face-painted models with vintage 60's looks in pop neon and pastel tones on skirts, pumps and pillbox hats playfully underlining the bright spirit of the brand.

One of the most recognizable aspects of cyber punk aesthetics is the one of imagining hyper technological future landscapes intersecting vintage design features. Skin and earthy tones in brown and pale olive green determine the romantic outlines of shouldered dresses and pleated skirts. With their collection presented in Milan, in a similar way Fendi re-elaborates different elements from the structured looks from the eighties and the vertical silhouettes of the Forties to underline and re-define a conscious and self-confident femininity.

Fashion

Weather beating – The Pacific Jacket by Woolrich

For Woolrich, Spring 2018 is a full immersion in versatility.

The Pacific Jacket has been specifically studied to be the ideal high-perfomancewear for outdoor activities.

Made of breathable and water repellent technical fabrics, the jacket features an adjustable hood, waterproof zippers closing the pockets and ribbed cuffs over long sleeves that exhibit a printed logo on the arm.

Light and protective, this jacket has been conceived thinking of the diverse weather conditions as well as keeping strong the link between function and contemporary design.

The lighthearted woman

Paris is a soft backdrop for Longchamp's Spring 2018 campaign, where a happy-go-lucky Freja Beha Erichsen explores the romantic city photographed by Angelo Pennetta.

Featuring different pieces from the ready-to-wear collection as the safari jacket coming in a variety of materials, from laser-cut leather to canvas, worn with shorts and fringed skirts.

The campaign foucsus on the iconic Mademoiselle Longchamp hobo bag in perforated calfskin, which this season will be proposed also in a mini size. The second pillar of the range is the structured Madeleine that stands out with an innovative three-tone graphic version. Longchamp introduce its new sunglass collection, including the butterfly model with an oversized frame that softly enhances the alluring mood of the season.

Launching the 20th of February worldwide, a film directed by Ujin Lin will be shared on the website and social media channels.

The Buffalo-era: Astrid Andersen pays tribute to the iconic youth culture for her FW18

There have been so many youth cultures inspiring worldwide designers. Especially in the eighties, the Buffalo movement was about one of those radicalization of clothing daring society with cross-generational, cross-gender and cross-cultural aesthetics.

For the launch of her Fall Winter 2018, Astrid Andersen takes inspiration from this pioneering language that has greatly anticipated the contemporary scenario and celebrates diversity with an innovative tribute to their energetic and authentic London street-style. Far from rules, she set up an unlimited space for creativity. She designer plays with tweeds, tartans and glitter organza, as well as silk jacquards, technical puffers and custom-printed silks. The rich color palette floats between sparkling golden yellow and full primary colors, cross-exploring wide ranges of possibilities.

The eighties' imaginary spreads out trough the collection's spirit, from Georgia Hworth (daughter of Jeny Howorth) walking in the show to original shots by photographer Mark Lebon portraying Jeny Howorth styled by Caroline Baker, which take over sporty-chic hooden dresses.

The looks have been incorporated into the menswear show (and wholesales in Paris) as an underlined, positive declaration of genderless fashion, while the full womenswear range has been presented during Copenhagen Fashion Week on the 1st of February. astridandersen.com

Fashion

Dries van Noten Menswear Fall/Winter 2018

A warehouse in raw concrete, with all its stripped down connotations, once the distribution centre of the French Post. Like last’s season venue - the former Liberation offices - it gave a feeling of nostalgia, and a sense of austerity.

As the model walked in the space above the audience pit, on the notes of Underground’s Born Slippy in a 2008 remix by Get Well Soon, we felt that play between contrast Dries Van Noten has often chosen in his poetic.

The collection is as complex and intricate in mixing different styles and influences as it could be the individual course of a lifetime, with different patterns, mood swings, travels and ages.

There is an incredibly appealing modern take on tartans and Prince of Wales plaid with the warm tones of traditional suiting.

But also slightly oversized silhouettes next to slim and elongated ones; fringed embellishments reminiscent of a Western age; half kilts styled on top of matching pants; white cotton trousers with broderie anglaise; jackets hand embroidered next to boxy sporty trench coats; pongee silk for the most alluring pyjamas.

The show note mentions “the tension and spark of the habitually incongruent”.

Dries Van Noten has created a collection beautifully balanced with all the elements that have been classics staples in his oeuvre – modern English tailoring, sporty, lush prints, florals, dark colours next to a vibrant palette – while delivering a show that didn’t fail to deeply touch us in a crescendo peaked in the finale lineup: over 40 billowy raincoats declined in a rainbow of variations featuring hand painted marbling technique used traditionally on paper.

Junya Watanabe Menswear Fall 2018

Junya Watanabe has always been researching on workwear for his Menswear collection.

It’s a fuss-free, genuine utilitarian take on clothes that are impressed on our everydaylife, from heavy duty to white-collars. This season was the turn of the fireman, the waste collector, the delivery boy, the office worker, the college student, the hiking guide.

Some carrying totes and backpacks that transformed into a jacket, ready for any weather sudden changes. A reflective band run through the entire collection, also adorning the more tailored jackets, sweaters and coats. A hint to our modern times where office hours often extends into late night.

As the colour palette was imbued with black, dark blue, grey, orange, red, the materials spaced from technical materials to heavy wool and relaxed knit pieces.

Watanabe has been a pioneer in brands collaborations before it became the new cool in the industry.

Also this season Junya Watanabe collaborations featured Carhartt, North Face, Levi’s, Canada Goose, New Balance conferring that high-tech know-how and durability to staple pieces which will undoubtedly never go out of fashion.

Fashion

THIS IS NOT A F*CKING STREET STYLE BOOK

The one about streetstyle being a hardened enemy of high fashion is such an old story. In the digital era and trough the empowerment of individual communication over everyday aesthetics, we witness continuous splices between collection proposals and catwalk attenders.

Thanks to the amazing works of photographers like Adam Katz Sinding aka Le 21eme, it has been shown how streetstyle has gradually evolved into trend empowering new emerging figures, especially in the fashion area.

In facts, the influencer and photographer has attended more than 20 Fashion shows around the globe, capturing with his camera the greatest designers, models, stylists and contemporary fashion icons.

With the publication of “This Is Not a F*cking Street Style Book” Sinding’s first monograph, fashion and photography lovers will have the chance to leafing trough a captivating documentary on paper, which gathers the best images taken on the street and behind the stages.

The book is also accompanied by a conversation about the streetwear phenomenon between Adam Katz Sinding, Virgil Abloh and MENDO. Made by MENDO, it is available for pre-order now and will be released by February 2018.

Woolrich's New Store Experience

Woolrich hosted a private cocktail in its first Milan flagship store located on Corso Venezia 3. Taking place on the opening day of Milan Men’s Fashion Week, the event featured a live DJ set by François Pochez. The boutique, spanning 700 square meters, was designed by Japanese studio Wonderwall under the guidance of Masamichi Katayama. The store’s interactive concept comprises a lounge area, a dedicated space for customization, a green area curated by Green Fingers and an Extreme Weather Experience Room, all of which offer an innovative and fully engaging in-store experience.

Celebrating Diversity

“Everyone has a different story… and everyone wears Emporio Armani”. For the launch of its Spring/Summer 2018 campaign, Emporio Armani decided to feature men and women of different ages and coming from all over the world, all selected trough street casting.

Shot in Milan by Photographers Ben Weller, Mark Peckmezian and Pawel Pysz, the campaign comes with a serie of pictures portraying the lucky ones, who bring a personal and original interpretation to Emporio Armani’s exclusive style, as the merging outcome of individual attitude and group’s identity.

With their charismatic attitude and ironic descriptions, the shots intensify the spontaneous freshness of the brand’s spirit and put emphasis on the authentic diversity that makes people unique.

Woolrich Teton Capsule Collection For The Brave Souls

Alaska is a land of extremes and ever-changing weather conditions, always challenging the people living in this mysterious and wild area of the United States. Woolrich is the oldest manufacturer of outdoor wear in the USA, drawing its inspiration from this magical no man’s land and its untamed nature in order to create the Teton Capsule Collection. Since 1967, Teton is Woolrich’s high performance label, inspired by the eponymous mountain range near the Yellowstone National Park in North America with peaks reaching 4,000 meters and a high popularity amongst top climbers. The creation of a high-performance collection as a support for brave souls was a forseeable outcome. The Teton Capsule Collection features high-end comfort, resistance and lightness to fight extreme conditions in every setting, while impressing with an emblematic and fashionable style.

The garments of the collection are transitional pieces, which can be worn both in the great outdoors and in the city, perfect to go for a hike in the mountains as well as a laid-back winter stroll. The Teton Capsule Collection features a complete family of products, including high-functional ones like the Rudder Jacket, warming and down-filled garments such as the Expedition Bomber and the Explorer Parka. Both are using the waterproof, windproof and breathable advantages of GORE-TEX®. A field jacket and a parka out of Teton Stretch are lightweight, breathable and suitable for every season, while a line of knitwear pieces completes the collection.

A New BVLGARI Resort Opens In Dubai

A coral texture, filtering the sun, creating a decorative motive imbued of a Mediterranean style halfway in between the creation of a goldsmith and a sophisticated natural element. Designed by the Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, the new Bulgari Resort Dubai is a play between the Italian heritage of the maison and the suggestive surrounding landscape.

Exclusively situated on the manmade seahorse shaped island of Jumeira Bay, connected by a 300m bridge to central Dubai, the 1.4 million-square-foot property is a first-of-its-kind development for Bulgari, both in terms of scale and magnitude. With its Mediterranean village charm, the complex features the Resort, joined by six residential buildings of 173 sea-facing apartments, 15 private mansions, a Beach Club, and Bulgari’s first-ever Marina and Yacht Club. The resort includes 101 hotel rooms and suites and 20 hotel villas.

Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Bulgari wished to create a whole new hotel concept. Throughout the Bulgari portfolio this concept is seen in innovations such as the rooms’ square-shaped floor plan to allow windows of natural light; a niche alcove doorway and entry vestibule for privacy and soundproofing from the bedroom. A flow that renders the living experience something more akin to apartment living.

While the Bulgari Hotels & Resorts collection has evolved to include a new location, a Bulgari property is always born of the same Roman spirit. Throughout the property, a repeated use of the custom-design ‘Maglia Pantheon’mesh pattern recalls the ornamentation of the historic Roman Pantheon’s floor, as it is a part of the architectural tradition of Baroque Rome: an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Bulgari. The pattern features intricate bronze lattice-work, as well as Bulgari’s eight-pointed star motif which appeared first as an inlay in the vestibule of Bulgari’s flagship Via dei Condotti boutique.

Recalling a Mediterranean garden, La Limonaia, the hidden ‘lemon garden’ homes the resident array of birds and wildlife. Sculpted as a geometric Italian garden with a birch walkway, La Limonaia recalls an ancient Roman garden. Bulgari’s landscape designers also brought hundreds of trees onto the island, including Australian baobab trees, to establish a natural, verdant setting, a Mediterranean garden in the middle of the sea.

In every Bulgari property guests find a similar design philosophy: clean lines, peerless materials and furnishings, and a welcoming feeling of spaciousness. Iconic Bulgari photographs, often of vintage celebrities dating to the Dolce Vita, are framed above common areas with a nod to BVLGARI’S red-carpet connections. Original jewellery sketches from the Bulgari archives are placed within rooms or in hallways, recalling the 130-years of Roman jewellery design history.

Storytelling Through Clothing

For several years now, the fast fashion trend has gripped the industry, but signs of a change heading into a more sustainable direction are being watched. The former fashion consultant and communications director, Lina Miccio, recently launched the label Speaking Garments. Focusing on creating less, but with more meaning, the brand is offering highly personal pieces that are meant to outlast seasonal trends.

The collections exist at the edge of fashion and fine arts, because the brand collaborates with international cross-disciplinary artists each season. The first collaboration is with Cologne-based artist Michail Prigelis, who highlights the beauty of disused airplane fragments, which are sourced from a discarded DC-10 aircraft and flown in from the Mojave Desert of California to his studio.

In the Speaking Garments production facilities, they are then repurposed as brooches onto a limited edition collection of sweatshirts. The garments are limited to 100 pieces, each hand sewn, outfitted with a detachable airplane part and sold with a certificate hand-signed by the artist. In addition to the sweatshirts, T-shirts, depicting a black and white photograph of Spanish-French clown Charlie Rivel, which was once a Pan Am publicity, are concluding the collection.

This is making each garment a desirable piece of art. Speaking Garments focuses on telling compelling, unusual stories. The label reinvents each garment as a canvas for artistic freedom rather than exploiting it.

Wim Wenders Shot Jil Sander’s Spring/Summer 18 Campaign

The German luxury brand Jil Sander has chosen the director Wim Wenders to shoot their SS 18 campaign starring the first collection by the new creative directors Lucie and Luke Meier.

The German director filmed a short movie of five episodes, which is called “Paused By” and setted in Berlin, marking his first collaboration with Jil Sander. The foregoing trailer already indicates the sense of expectation that spreads throughout the films as they are paused at intense moments, leaving the viewer captivated and curious to know what comes next.

Not missing the expressive style of Wim Wenders, the five different scenarios consist of mysterious shots which are, like the soulful collection itself, an ode to pure emotion and a delicate balance between innocence and sophistication.

The episodes will be released by the beginning of December 2017 and the frames of the movie will serve as the advertising campaign images.

On November 16th the brand Moncler celebrated the opening of the renovated flagship store at Hong Kong’s Harbour City in Canton Road with a flash art-performance installation called Destination Hong Kong. This is the last chapter in Moncler’s history of collaborations that intertwine the language, imagination and inspration of creatives with the brand’s signature style and vision. The vital melting pot Hong Kong and its futuristic skyline make it the ideal setting for the artistic performance.

A multitude of more than 10,000 Mr. Moncler 19-inch statues – the brand’s symbolic ambassador in, a humurous product of pop culture – has been positioned in several key locations in the city. With this project Moncler pays tribute to the residents of Hong Kong and celebrate the multicultural and universal message of art. The renowned street artist Craig Costello customized a limited number of 350 unique Mr. Moncler figures, that became an instant collectible gift for the people who were luckily present at the selected locations.

Diesel Says No To Uncool Wool

The innovative denim and lifestyle brand Diesel has set up a new campaign this winter, fighting uncool Christmas sweaters with the help of a sheep in a creative and unconventional video starring creative director Nicola Formichetti. Leaning on their campaign “Go with the Flaw”, Diesel invites the audience to part with their Christmas sweaters, which have already lost their irony a long time ago. This Christmas season, a real professional will help out in the fight against bad taste knits: a sheep. Because, who else knows more about wool than this cosy animal. Framed by this campaign, Diesel has created a Christmas product-guide on the brand’s website.

Mystical Symbolism: The Salon de la Rose + Croix in Paris

Mysterious, mythical and visionary themes, often drawn from literature, will be presented by the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in an exhibition called “Magical Symbolism: The Salon de la Rose + Croix in Paris”. It’s the first museum exhibition showing the highlights of a series of Salons, which were annually held in Paris from 1892 to 1897. At these art gatherings, images of femmes fragiles and fatales, androgynous creatures, chimeras, incubi and sinuous lines, attenuated figures and anti-naturalistic forms were the norm. Including approximately forty works by a cross section of artists, the possibility to take a fresh look at the legacies of late nineteenth-century symbolist art is provided. The exhibition is taking place until January 7th 2018 at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice.

Gucci Cruise Advertisng Campaign 2018: Roman Rhapsody

Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s Creative Director, chose his home town as the backdrop of the Italian brand’s latest cruise campaign, taking us on a journey to Roman apartments and neighborhood parks. Unfiltered portraits, taken by the British photographer Mick Rock present real people in real places. Rock’s experience in capturing legends such as David Bowie, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Blondie, Talking Heads, the Ramones and the Sex Pistols on camera, stood him in good stead on this assignment for the Gucci cruise ‘18 collection. The title, ”Roman Rhapsody”, already implies the rock’n’roll atmosphere of the pictures. A wide portfolio of mainly Italian talents star in the vintage-inspired images, celebrating genuine non-conformists and eccentrics. The flamboyant portraits were created in the talents’ homes, local gardens and during intimate studio shoots. In addtion to the quirky fashion shots, still-life images of everyday objects are placed randomly throughout the campaign. A film component, shot by Chuck Grant, completes this unique project.

Yohji Yamamoto Spring/Summer 2018

The sound of Yohji Yamamoto’s guitar and his slow chant of a few verses in French that sounded like a melancholic ode to the passing of time served as the backdrop of his show in the harsh concrete space of Cité de Mode et du Design along the river Seine. Walking at a slow, almost meditative pace, forty looks slowly approached the audience. It’s not the first time that Yohji Yamamoto staged a show far from the usual fashion speed where models storm in walking at a frantic tempo. It’s his own way of refusing the routine of the fashion system, the unbearable seasonal timing and the glossy world in toto.

For Spring Summer 2018, the Japanese master worked on one of his favourite elements: the button. Appearing in white, black and red it served as the focal element in order to form impressive deconstructed silhouettes in the designer’s signature black, with splashes of white, grey and red. Intricate forms were the absolute protagonists. Knotted, layered, attached, draped in outwear, jackets and dresses.

It felt like a return to the radical Yohji Yamamoto from the early years, the Yohji Yamamoto who, just last season, reflected on the passing of time, on death, on the future of his brand. Few dresses with organic transparencies and the floating scarves in skirts in other looks suggested the soft fragility of the feminine identity, its fluctuant form in constant motion. The final dresses with an unexpected open back on a pristine and composed front like that of a shirt and high collar dress, once again played with the idea of duality, of contradiction. Themes dear to this master whose vision is still as strong as ever.

Lover’s tryst at Givenchy Spring/Summer 2018

Former Chloé Creative director Claire Waight Keller opts for a cool Parisian allure and reinvents Givenchy for her debut at the Palais de Justice. The collection builds on the power of duality and romance. His becomes hers – it’s a transformation of seduction happening right under the eyes and ears of Hubert de Givenchy. The collection is influenced by his colour palette of black, white and navy touched up with vermillion red and mint. The garments fall in sharp line with bold shoulder cuts. Graphic clover prints inspired by the 1960s, animal motifs and velvet are combined with sportive breton knits. Polka dots and soft point d’esprit tulle add a touch of femininity, while satin bows and a caped back pay a modern homage. Vichy checks, brocade and moiré on skin indicate a luxurious club atmosphere. This collection certainly makes Claire Waight Keller a duly successor to Ricardo Tisci and one to watch for her upcoming seasons at the head of the iconic French brand.

Desert Winds: Dior Cruise Collection 2018

Artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri never fails in making her collections a feminist statement. For Dior’s cruise collection 2018 she took inspiration from the desert and the unique work of the American artist Georgia O’Keefe. Chiuri describes her as a modern shaman, who painted the sands of New Mexico with such a majestic and solemn look. Her paintings are illustrating the search for the inner self and diffuse a soft but strong feminine identity, which is strongly connected to nature. Maria Grazia Chiuri came across O’Keefe on her quest for inspiration, when she became interested in the desert. For the collection’s campaign, the actress and muse Jennifer Lawrence was phtographed by Brigitte Lacombe, an ongoing collaborator of the house. The series of images was created in a setting of organic outlines and a gentle atmosphere. A laid-back wanderlust mood and modern western spirit is transported through the photographs, which are embodieing the singular femininity of the Dior cruise collection 2018.

Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2018

A little white silk scarf as the invitation. The dual meaning of its simplicity and its connotation as a blank canvas upon which to create anything possible.

The canvas of what Dries Van Noten declared to be one of his main inspiration for this season? Picasso’s Femmes à Leur Toilette, the artwork created in 1938 by using the technique of collage comprised mostly of found wallpapers scraps.

Within that same spirit Dries Van Noten’s Spring Summer 2018 is a collage of different prints, silhouettes, textiles, and decades, carefully and exceptionally matched together as only Dries Van Noten is able to create, with a splash of pink hues over the entire collection.

A joyful and positive message against the dark times we are facing daily, as the Belgian designer declared backstage

There were slip dresses in monochrome powder pink, followed by checked suits with 90s shoulders and a tulle veiling over it, beautiful scarf-dresses reminiscent of the 70s, and of course the kimonos, the sparkling jacquard , the bomber jacket, the oversized sweaters over silk scarf-skirts .

All the Dries Van Noten elements in a vortex of mismatched prints and colours. It is almost contradictory how the collection comprised of all these motifs resulted in an extreme elegance, whispered, confident. Dries Van Noten is one of the few designers who can work with such a broad palette of codes and emotions while staying true to his rhetoric.

As the collection was presented in the dazzling space of the Hotel de Ville - dazzling as the make up created by Peter Philips with crystals laid along the lower lip and around the eyes – it gave a sense of romantic nostalgia when the a cappella version of “Be my Baby” resonated as the first look walked in. And we can’t help but humming that tune.

Woolrich Present the New Footwear Line

Woolrich expands its already vast offering to include footwear with a project that echoes the brand’s values and focuses around iconic garments like the Arctic Parka.

The contemporary, urban and bustling landscapes of Berlin and London act as the backdrop for the latest collection styled and shot by Highsnobiety.

Here, the typical traits of hi-tech outdoor shoes meet contemporary design making for a succesfful crossover between sophistication and outdoor elements, hi-tech features and city styles.

The line features two soles created exclusively for Woolrich by Vibram, renowned for their mountaineering-friendly footwear. These guarantee maximum quality come rain or shine and for the most rugged of terrains, providing comfort and lightness. The first model is based on the legendary ‘carrarmato’ mountain sole while the other features a brand new sole incorporating the brand’s iconic check as a technical element.

High quality materials and construction techniques are paired with Italian design in the collection that is divided into two model categories. The classic Running Shoes available in different versions and the traditional mountain Boot are both revitalized classics, rejuvenated through the use of the most modern manufacturing techniques.

The collection’s stand-out piece, however, is the Hiker Boot: a fusion between a genuine walking boot and a sole that stands its ground in the city thanks to the special Vibram compound.

Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 2018

“American horror, American dreams” was the underlying theme in this year for Raf Simons’ vision for Calvin Klein. It was a combination of suburbia’s bouncy cheerleaders and Hollywood’s flashiest gore. Hitchcock inspired blonde beauties were decked out in rubber lab coats and latex surgeon's gloves, and pixie-haired damzels strode down in flimsy nightgowns à la Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby.

Once again, Simons has collaborated with artist Sterling Ruby, this time for the runway design: metal buckets, axes, and falling pompoms hung from the ceiling. Reminiscent of old blockbuster horror flicks, the show seemingly could have taken a sinister tone. Instead, it felt lighthearted and embracing of over-the-top carnage and theatrics; perhaps a playful hint of how the world perceives America as a whole?

Moose Knuckles Fall/Winter 2017 Campaign

Moose Knuckles, founded in 2007, was established based on the goal of creating the leanest, toughest and most luxurious sportswear. And no one would be more adept at making indestructible outerwear than the Canadians: the Moose Knuckles’ design family is based in Montreal, its furs are sourced in Toronto and traditional factories are located in Winnipeg. Their first two iconic styles, the Stirling Parka and the Ballistic Bomber, became instant success stories, and have kept many Canadians, and snow bunnies worldwide, warm since then. Moose Knuckles have continuously delivered resistant and stylish waterproof coats, lightweight jackets, knitwear, shirting and accessories.

For their new campaign, Moose Knuckles took us many years into the post-apocalyptic, barren future of the year 6969. Capable of surviving even in that climate, thanks to their toasty outerwear, a group of four fearless women and men travel perpetually in search of food, supplies and, most importantly, joy. The pack venture into the great northern wilderness of Canada, braving harsh winds and snowstorms, and come upon a civilisation build on the love of music, company and celebration. A perfect companion in our dark times, Moose Knuckles snug apparel will most definitely get you wherever you want to go in the harshest of climates. www.mooseknucklescanada.com

Travel

The Weinmeister: The Heart of Berlin Mitte

If you are planning a trip to Berlin, you won’t want to miss the raw, energetic street art that overran the Mitte district after the Wall came crumbling down in 1989. Right in the middle of this colorful cultural hub is the Weinmeister hotel, which welcomed the art style that made its neighborhood famous: signature rooms and staircases were “paint bombed” by outstanding graffiti artists such as René Turrek and The Paint Club collective, giving the hotel a chic, modern ambience.

Its proximity to Museum Island and contemporary galleries, such as the C/O Gallery or KW Institute, make it a popular destination for a young creative crowd angling for inspiration. Fashion hunters can flock to the nearby Herckescher Markt to discover the latest German designers, or get their high-end fix at the Friedrichstrasse. And you mustn’t worry about finding your way home once the sun goes down: the Weinmeister’s gleaming metal facade, which has earned it the nickname “the Golden Cage,” makes it impossible to miss.

A five minute walk from Alexanderplatz, the Weinmeister is in the perfect location to explore the best that Berlin has to offer, day or night. But if you are not up for being sucked into the hustle and bustle of the busy city, you can still breathe in the atmosphere while enjoying a glass of champagne on the private rooftop terrace overlooking Berlin’s iconic TV tower.

Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

The fluidity of a soft blazer, a silk kimono wrapped over relaxed pants and a shirt. A confident look without being loud. A soft toned collection, with a hint to workwear and a beautiful relaxed tailoring.

This is Dries Van Noten at his core, the Dries Van Noten who voices the darkness of life and doesn't feel the urgency to talk always in bright coloured notes. The Dries van Noten from the early years.

It is always extremely overwhelming to experience a show of this celebrated master. The integrity and the strength of his poetic vision. For this season the show was held in the historical offices of the iconic left wing French newspaper Liberation.

As we climbed up to the venue at the top floors of the 8-storey building from its parking ramps, we were gradually feeling this atmosphere, the weight of history, of knowledge and of thoughts.

Mustard, khaki, or zabaione as the show notes pointed out, the colour palette led to an elegant but youthful menswear collection true to the brand's signature.

Sacai Spring/Summer Menswear & Women's Pre-Spring 2018

Chitose Abe's new collection for Sacai is a tribute to the duality of genders, the investigation in terms of Men/Women clothing. This season the show was featuring men’s Spring Summer together with Pre-Spring Womenswear.

As the models walked in squads, there was a strong sense of group, of subtle genderless interpretations.Like the beautiful Menswear checked looks entering the spectacular venue of Cité de la Musique together with their female counterparts. Oversized sporty for him, layered - at a time short - dress for her. Abe's playing with different elements between the formal and the sporty, the sculptural and the sleek almost in an ode to freedom at its core.

There was a lot of that deconstructed and cut-ups from Abe’s DNA. But also a new streetwear simplicity declined for both sexes. Oversized, sculptural jackets with fringes hinting to Western Americana with sculptural bell sleeves for her or a sporty silhouette for him. The beautiful declinations of checked looks, a signature pattern for Sacai’s vision, were the most outstanding in terms of layering and transparencies play. The collaboration with pioneer conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner and his typographic artwork was another take in terms of that freedom of expression Chitose Abe reaffirmed looks after look.

“STATIS AS ON VECTOR ALL IN DUE COURSE”, featured almost as graphical pattern on full looks in black over white and vice versa felt minimal but once again provocative.

Fendi's Fall/Winter 2017 Menswear campaign is here!

Fendi’s new advertising campaign for its Fall Winter 2017 Men’s collection is the perfect embodiment of the positive, energetic spirit of the brand’s latest menswear collection designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi.

The Fendi Vocabulary serves as the collection’s main inspiration and is echoed in the array of simple, modern and desirable pieces that comprise a truly multifaceted collection rife with street style and formal elements; diametrically contrary but complementary nonetheless. From ready-to-wear and fur to bags, shoes and accessories, the entire range is permeated with an uplifting optimistic mood that is echoed on the garments themselves through the word of the Fendi Vocabulary.

When times are tough, optimism remains a shiny beacon of hope. Fundamental values of the past that have been instilled in us like trust, friendship, “LOVE” and “HOPE” carry an unmistakeable energy that urges us to face fears and challenges head-on.

Silvia Venturini Fendi was inspired by the immortal message of these little words and journeyed into a vademecum of Ernest Hemingway, picking up universal, key words like “LOVE”, “TRY”, “HOPE”, “LISTEN”; in their simplicity these short utterances convey an immortal message of positivity and optimism that can help us in difficult moments.

The campaign’s video, shot in the Canary Island of Lanzarote, highlights the bond between nature and city, humanity and nature, effortlessly bridging notions that may seem disconnected at first glance. C

Chosen for his contagious energy and positivity, model Nicolas Ripoll is seen running and jumping as if in a tribal dance of sorts through the incredible and awe-inspiring volcanic landscapes of the island promoting the brand’s idea of clear-headed optimism and joy in the sight of the future – no matter how rocky it may become.

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

A nomadic traveller. A wanderlust of island-hopping. Scuba zips, Aloha shirts in contrast with relaxed tailoring and fluid outwear as the modern trekking expert would oblige.

Kim Jones delivers a fresh and relaxed collection where sportswear and suiting play a dual identity game in an archipelago of declinations.

Fabrics as lightweight as modern. A paper-thin lambskin leather bonded with neoprene scuba parka floating in the heat-wave of the Palais Royal’s Jardin on the notes of the exclusive soundtrack composed by Drake for the collection.

As the new colours of the signature Monogram are introduced in the shade of blue: Pacific, a cobalt shade of blue, and Reflect, with its reflective finish is naturally recalling high-impact sport.

The sportswear theme is crucial in Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2018. Kim Jones plays with these elements in terms of colours, texture, and shapes. It is a playful and relaxed spirit pervading the entire collection – the Hawaii inspired floral patterns on silk organza for a short sleeved shirt layered on top of a tee with a matching print, intarsia knits of exotic foliage. The island as inspiration but also as state of mind.

The island as inspiration but also as state of mind.

Earth colours contrasting neon shades, the discovering of nature and the adventure of pushing the limits. The clogs sandals mixed with hiking boots bring a further staple items in Louis Vuitton fresh and sophisticated collection

Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

Japanese style is synonymous with clean lines and simple silhouettes, tailoring does the talking and superfluous intricacies are omitted for the sake of refinement. This clearly hit a nerve with Mr. Armani who, for his Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2018 menswear collection, looks to establish a dialogue between East and West that shuns the cliché of Japanesque folklore-based collections.

Elegant tuxedos and martial arts-inspired Kimonos walked the runway alongside urban and sleek suits that were Armani through and through, upholding years of tradition.

The Far East may have served as Mr. Armani’s main inspiration this season but it was incorporated in the pieces in a way that was far from ostentatious. Elements of Japanese iconography were discreetly present on sporty boxy jackets and parkas that were in turn layered on ankle-length culottes or breezy silk cargo pants.

Armani’s trademark colour, dark blue, helped tie the collection together, grounding it in modernity and rendering it classically elegant and simultaneously modern and inspired. To contrast the darkness flashes of lacquer red were added to the mix while silk, the collection’s main fabric appeared in floral jacquard, printed with cherry blossoms or graffiti and abstract calligraphic prints.

Paul Smith Spring/Summer 2018

An air of positivity and optimism breezes through Paul Smith’s bright Spring/Summer 2018 collection for men and women. Inspired by Paul’s early visits to 70’s New York where he would source Hawaiian shirts from SoHo and his signature floral prints that these inspired later, this was a collection that professed its love to summertime.

Floral and aquatic motifs formed the core of the adornments for this season seen embroidered on tuxedo lapels or hand-painted on leather and appliqued onto tote bags. Technical outerwear developed with performance-wear in mind also play host to the marine print bringing modernity and functionality to the fore. Elsewhere a midnight beach scene on landscape jacquard appear on a bomber jacket for men and is reinterpreted in a blazer for women.

Patch-worked floral print dresses play with louche summer shirt collar shapes and Japanese carp dive across silk georgette slips. Patterned lining take on new life on a brushed cotton two-piece suit for women where tropical flowers are revere printed, giving the impression of sun-bleached fabric.

The tailored shapes for men and women are a nod to Paul Smith archive pieces from the 80’s given new life in a colour palette that spans from the soft pastel hues of cornflower blue and dusty pinks and takes us all the way to midnight tones and French navy, culminating in a crescendo of striking yellows and hot turquoise.

Plein Sport Spring/Summer 2018

This season the vision for Plein Sport was a futuristic gladiatorial combat, in a world where survival of the fittest becomes a way of life. As pole dancers perform on stage, fighting cages are lowered into the arena and twenty pro wrestlers and boxers set the tone for what’s sure to be a fashion show that has Plein written all over it. Both literally and metaphorically.

As Plein Sport warriors take to the runway, one thing becomes apparent, functionality is of the utmost importance: sweatshirts, hoodies, leggings and vests are produced with technical, intelligent fabrics for a line that strives to be perceived as an innovative performance kit rather than a series of fashion statements in leisure wear.

Pieces are designed to move with the body, accompanying its every step with stretch materials and netting that stand the test of intense exercise and high temperatures whether you’re on the streets, the ski slopes of the treadmill of your gym. Motivational mantras complete the garments, emblazoned across sear pants while metallic fabrics pay tribute to the silver masks of El Santo, Mexico’s iconic wrestling hero.

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger… Plein Sport shows no signs of slowing down just like a determined, disciplined athlete hungry for the win.

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Summer 2018

For his debut Summer collection, Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori embarks upon an exploration of fantasies both conscious and sub-conscious while clashing innocence and sensual masculinity. In a futuristic garden outfitted with tangerine lawns in the historic courtyards of Milan’s Universita Statale, outdoor life crossed paths with the indoors for a collection permeated with fluid fabrics and delicate silhouettes uplifted by colors.

Sartori’s interplay of proportions sees classic shirts replaced by deconstructed tops in various volumes, double tank tops and scoop neck sweaters that play with active yet tailored trousers and joggers. The sporty allure of the collection is further enriched by oversized handmade pockets, hoods and the iconic Triple Stitch logos.

The collection appears almost weightless with the inclusion of fluid washed silks, Century Cashmere and pure mohair while giro inglese and mesh jacquards along with perforated and intarsia leather give hints of an ethereal substance.

Delicate and naturally-inclined the color palette features shades of walnut, deep cypress green and bleached aqua and optical white is afforded some much-welcomed color flashes.

This season’s offering remains quintessentially Zegna but looks to the future nonetheless. It’s a fresh take on the fashionable man’s wardrobe that allows for personality and individual style to seep through while remaining routed in Ermenegildo Zegna’s timeless allure.

Amsterdam Trail: A Unique Art Route

From the 5th to the 7th of May 2017, the sixth edition of The Amsterdam Trail and its unique approach to art are coming to the Dutch capital. The trail combines ethnography with contemporary arts and this year’s edition will concentrate around the Spiegelgracht, Amstelveld and Jordaan areas. Unexpected combinations that explore time and origin arise as artworks dating back to 3000BC, Egyptian mummies and contemporary videos are visited.

Jaap Wagemaker’s artworks will be shown at the Borzo Gallery in conjunction with objects from Oceania inspired by his original ethnographic collection.

Gallery Lemaire will host an installation from artist Jan Hoek in which ‘The Pattaya Sex Bubble’, central image of the piece, is surrounded by images from Africa, Indonesia and New Guinea. Additionally sculptures, jewellery, images and even chairs designed by Wieki Somers who drew inspiration by the austere furniture still in use in China, will be shown.

As the lines between ethnography and contemporary art seem to fade into each other we are left to wonder what constitutes contemporary art and what is ethnography. Take Izaak Zwaartjes’ artworks that is very close to a fetish mask from Mali and will be exhibited at the Upstream Gallery.

Miu Miu Fall/Winter 2017

Fluffy fur - fake fur - in a deep shade of lilac, literally covering the sits, walls, columns and the grand stairways of the spectacular concrete architecture of Palais d’Ièna designed by pioneer Auguste Perret for the Exposition Universelle held in 1937.

Miuccia Prada is not new to strong statements during dark times like the current political atmosphere. And she does it in the most dramatic and fun way we have known her for. For Fall Winter 2017 Miu Miu’s girl is covered with fake fur of all the possible sorbet colours: lemon, papaya, green apple, vanilla, tangerine. Mix-matched with sultry embellished silk gowns in soft powder pink and multicolour sporty striped knitwear.

A powerful woman who is not afraid to show off her girly femininity. Miuccia Prada knows how to energize a tired crowd at the end of an intense fashion week calendar. It was all about that: being positive, energetic, alive. Wrapping oversized fuzzy coats, at times embellished with bejewelled belts, but also matching furry caps, and obviously the spectacular portfolio of accessories to give the final blow. It’s pure glamour, a bit 40s, a bit 70s. It’s Miu Miu on the nth degree and we cannot but love it. www.miumiu.com

Fashion

Céline Fall/Winter 2017

“The spectator is caught under a cloudy or a starry sky, surrounded by ocean waves or masses of people running towards him, while he is entranced by the dramatic actions of the central round arena. The division between acting and the audience no longer exists. Words, light and music no longer have a set place […] The director alters position and spatial forms and mercilessly subjects the audience to the dynamics of his imaginations”.

Walter Gropius’s words during 1934 Volta congress in Rome resonate strong in Phoebe Philo’s setting choice for her Celine Fall/Winter 2017 show. It’s not the first time that a fashion designer is fascinated by the visionary ideas of the Bauhaus pioneer for his Total Theater, where the audience was supposed to revolve during the performance, shifting the spectators and the stage area to alter the viewer's scale of values and forcing them to participate in the act.

We have known Phoebe Philo for her no-nonsense vision and relaxed, elegant silhouettes as the embodying of the powerful, confident working woman who has no time for superfluous fuss. The catwalk was populated by a tribe of women, with their different life, different tempo, like we would find in any busy street.

At first glance Celine Fall Winter 2017 is just all that. Exceptional tailoring and gimmick-free looks: the long trench coat, oversized tuxedo blazers, long tunics with matching fluent pants for the day and a modern version of emperor dresses for a more dress-up feel, a crisp white shirt.

But Philo’s masterly created a collection again beautifully lying in the details, revealing its stance dramatically at a closer look.

The collection featured beautiful origami-like seam lines as mimicking the movement of the body and its presence. Like when you bend your harm and a crisp fabric would inevitably crease. It’s real life that Philo delicately suggests. Real women who don’t need to scream.

Acne Studios Fall/Winter 2017

When everyone is playing urban street-wear, Jonny Johansson used a romantic and soft approach for his Acne Studios Fall/Winter 2017.

The creative director is transforming the Scandinavian brand known for years as a denim forward label with a minimalist approach. For a while now we have seen Acne Studios feeding a new direction, a new light in terms of the brand’s identity increasingly far from the street. Acne Fall Winter 2017 is a spontaneous and playful collection with a strong sense of individuality and easiness.

Johansson plays with the notion of tailoring almost as an ironic gesture, to vouch for the idea of an uncomplicated way of living, a different way of feeling the notion of femininity itself.

The designer’s love for accessory research once again was expressed with the beautiful statement jewellery in metal and enamel, together with the large oversized bags with wide straps and graphic knots. The asymmetric shades matching the floral deconstructed dresses and creating a further contrast to the soft organic feel of the whole collection gave the perfect youthful accent. We see a confident woman, she is intuitive and optimistic. No matter what.

Rick Owens Fall/Winter 2017

Rick Owens for Fall Winter 2017 designed a collection channelling the need for a positive new beginning rooted in the idea of collectivity, of gathering together, of human kind in its social form. It had a sense of austerity, of deep hope for a better future. As the model walked in the dry space of Palais de Tokyo, one following the other and randomly walking around the space it felt as a vortex of shapes, volumes and lengths was wrapping up the audience.

Deconstructed silhouettes of puffa jackets, blasers together with leather dresses pulled down and worn as captured in the second of taking them off. There was a strong sense of moving on, of change and positive transformation for a designer who has been building his reign on shades of darkness. Rick Owens chose a colour palette recalling his early work: olive green, khaki, black, shades of brown. It was as if the designer was looking for the initiation moment. The rebirth, the celebration of a future soon to come.

Marina Abramovic - The Cleaners

Marina Abramovic, one of the most recognised artists of our time, has often utilised her body and the concept of presence as her primary artistic media. Her self-exposure as a means of artistic expression has garnered her criticism and praise in equal measure. Controversial as she may be, her work has earned her a place in the spotlight, a place that she continues to uphold to this day.

Abramovic's first major retrospective in Europe, entitled The Cleaner is being housed in Stockholm's Moderna Museet. It presents several of her best-known performances, including the Relation Works with German artist as well as former collaborator and partner, Ulay. The works take the form of live performances, films, installations and photographs dating back to the 70s and taking us all the way to the present day. Early paintings, and works on paper – some of them exhibited for the very first time – are also part of the exhibition.

A tumultuous childhood and an upbringing rife with religious and revolutionary undertones, shaped the Belgrade-born artist's worldview and played a pivotal, highly influential role in her career. Her work seeks to decipher and explore complex concepts such loss, memory, being and pain. Abramovic doesn't shy away from existential questions and interprets them in ways that may both provoke and move her audiences, delving deep into both the physical and the mental pain threshold in her own unique way. In The Lovers (1988) Abramovic and Ulay undertook a 90-day walk from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China. Their halfway meeting marked the end of their love affair and more than ten-year partnership.

A selection of the artist's performance works will be re-performed in the exhibition by specially-trained performance artists who will lend their talents to works such as Cleaning the Mirror (1995) where one person carefully scrubs clean a human skeleton in a confrontation with morality, Freeing Series (1975) where voice, memory and body are set free, and Art Must Be Beatiful, Artists Must be Beautiful (1975) where the same phrase and actions are repeated obsessively, almost like an incantation.

A new work by Abramovic, in collaboration with Lynsey Peisinger will also be performed at the Moderna Museet's Eric Ericson Hall from the 27th of February to the 5th of March.

The exhibition will run from the 18th of February to the 21st of May 2017.

Raf Simons presents his Fall 2017 collection for Calvin Klein

Raf Simons' debut collection for Calvin Klein was a hotly-anticipated event in this year's New York Fashion Week calendar.

Remaining true to his allegiances, Simons enlisted the help of friend and artist Sterling Ruby, giving him free reign to imagine artwork appropriate for the iconic brand's headquarters. Ruby imagine America.

Raf Simons and Calvin Klein Creative Director, Pieter Mulier created a collection that featured both women's and menswear for Fall 2017 and is in itself an homage to America. “It reflects the environment” said Mr. Simons. “All of these different people with different styles and dress codes. It's the future, the past, Art Deco, the city, the American West... all of these things and none of these things. Not one era, not one thing, not one look. It is the coming together of different characters and different individuals, just like America itself. It is the unique beauty of emotion in America.”

This was a collection in which each piece communicated with the rest; one material impacted another and one style impacted the upcoming ones even in the same silhouettes making for a collection that echoes the essence of diversity.

Marching band uniforms, plastic coated protection, power broker tailoring and antique handcrafted quilting, workwear and westernwear made for this unique parade. The collection finds equal merit in folk and function, food court and courtroom in a romantic and filmic outsider's view of the uniqueness of America.

Pal Zileri Spring/Summer 2017

Shot by German photographer Dylan Don outdoors in the ground-breaking Muralla Roja compound is Calpe, Spain, designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofil, Goode displays a unique and controlled attitude against the sun-soaked hues of the buildings.

Color, light and the graphic lines of both the location and the clothes play a key role in expressing the essence of the collection and its distinctive mismatch of 3D textures, volumes and shiny/matte effects, all awash in terracotta red, turquoise, plum, sky blue and burnt orange. The striking architecture of the Muralla Roja building, characterized by interlocking strairs, platforms and bridges, exalts a lifestyle appeal that Goode elevates with his effortless and dynamic sprit, melding time-honored savoir-faire with a fashion-forward twist.

Lala Berlin's Persian Punk revolution

Lala Berlin's Fall/Winter 2017 collection epitomises the metropolis of Berlin in an anarchic big-city chic way with a fresh attitude. Thus is born an ode to the unconventional yet elegant women that reinvented themselves as Persian punks.

Beautiful arts and crafts in architecture and textiles are the inspirations for a wardrobe that mixes punk and ethnic elements in such an authentic and modern way. A boheme and avant-garde style is conveyed in a variety of silhouettes from H-lines to flowy A-silhouettes and oversized asymmetric overlays. Feminine cuts, kimonos and tunic dresses give birth to the Lala’s punk-chic evening wear.

The color palette fades within dark chic colors like khaki, dark red, ink blue and black mixed with warm saffron yellow and cream interjected with vibrant and lush elements from middle eastern traditional art. Vibrant print ideas are reimagined in Berlin 80’s punk fused with Persian décor and floral elements are transformed into something new and fresh that reminds us of a mosaic print.

The adventurous gentlemen of BOSS Fall/Winter 2017

Gentlemen who voyage across the world without ever losing their style, inspired Hugo Boss for its latest collection, dedicated to those ready to take on the world.

Adventurers and explorers’ outfits that combine performance and functionality with Boss’ key foundations: precise cuts and construction. The modern traveller wardrobe will be composed of wider 80s silhouettes mixed with slimmer, modern cuts and long and short designs. Love for details is never forgotten by the brand that for this collection added a touch of maritime influence in pea coats and duffels secured with buckled straps and chunky fastenings in the style of nautical equipment.

Fabric research is just an added value to a proposal that puts quality first. Boiled wool, bonded leather and cotton to provide protection and create incredibly à la mode oversized shapes. Fisherman-style knitwear is crafted in chunky constructions and zipped closed with ring pulls to be functional and masculine at the same time. The color palette varies from off-white to burgundy and olive green passing through navy shades.

Modern travellers can sleep soundly: their luggage will always be fashionable.

SANKUANZ Fall/winter 2017: the chemistry collection

Standing for the reversal of an established system and breaking away from political correctness, that is what epitomises the Sankuanz Fall/Winter 2017 collection that explores space and chemistry.

Designer Shangguan Zhe's latest collection holds man's relationship with space and chemistry at its core, proposing garments that overlap with the idea of consuetude. Military uniforms with raw edges, primitive top-stitched suits and parkas, jumpsuits with industrial strap and bio-chemical protections, just a few examples of Zhe's research-based project. Zhe, indeed, created his own textiles mixing industrial materials and aramid fibers, usually used for spacesuits to give birth to his undoubtedly contemporary and updated vision.

Silhouettes are completed with accessories like visored bucket hats, pop military backpacks and high-top sock sneakers in a color palette that is everything but boring.

Osservatorio Prada: the love story between cultural statements and fashion

An invisible thread silently connects fashion with art, a thread that only a few can pick up and follow. A feat that when achieved unlocks the secret behind timeless designers like Miuccia Prada.

Famous not only for creating garments and accessories that are considered pieces of art, Miuccia, has never hidden her devotion to art. Therefore, dedicating the famous Fondazione Prada based in Milan to art, seemed only natural. Collecting the most interesting exhibitions and pieces from contemporary and modern artists, Fondazione has become one of the most coveted destination for art-o-holics. Last December saw the opening of a new venue of Fondazione Prada that pays homage to photography and celebrates visual languages: Ossevatorio Prada.

Based in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, the core of the Milanese fashion area, Osservatorio is a place of exploration and research of the latest tendencies and expressions of contemporary photography. Photography is, indeed, the contemporary epicenter of the global flux that digital communication is going through; that is why Osservatorio wants to unveil the cultural implications that it has on our society.

“Give Me Yesterday” by Francesco Zanot was the inaugural exhibition for Fondazione Prada's latest venue. A collection of more than fifty pieces of Italian and international artists that explores the usage of photography presented like a personal diary that travels from the 2000's to the present day.

Fondazione Prada’s contribution to the Italian art scene will leave an indelible mark, just like a photograph does.

Kenzo Fall/Winter Menswear 2017

Imagine the backstage of a show brought on stage, in the spotlight, able to witness it at 360°, as in Walter Gropius’s Total Theatre: from the make-up to the models line-up, from the food banquet to the backstage photographers roaming around, from the seamstress fixing the last detail seconds before the start to the laughs between models.

Humberto Leon and Carol Lim created this unexpected backdrop for Kenzo Menswear and Womenswear Fall/Winter 2017 collection in the name of the environment, making clothes the real stars of the runway and leaving the backdrop in its neutrality in order to give funds to environment organizations instead of making a wonderful yet costly set.

A vision that was reflected all over this Arctic inspired collection. The triggering Arctic changes and the – unknown to many – Arctic surfing were, indeed, the paths followed by Leon and Lim who presented a multitude of over-layered looks in an impressive colour palette. It was overwhelming and, as Kenzo’s signature, fun and youthful.

The Womenswear collection followed up in a more gentle and feminine declination. We saw easy urban long cable knit dresses, A –line coats, teddy handbags and delicate dresses with transversal side cuts, revealing floating strings, as a sort of intellectual reference to the increasingly undergoing destruction of our Mother Earth.

Jil Sander Fall/Winter 2017: Between High Fashion and Mother Nature

The uneven fight between humans against a powerful and merciless nature is the chore of Jil Sander's latest collection that brings us an incredible taste of glacial novelty for the upcoming Fall/Winter season.

Inspired by 'Independent People' by Nobel Prize winning author Halldor Laxness, the collection plays with the colors of Icelandic landscapes ranging from chalk grey to yellow. Shades of ice, brown and lava are chosen to give life to coats, parkas, heavy felts and comfortable shapes designed to face the harsh temperatures of Nordic winter in style. Military cotton and heat-sealed waterproof wool make coats and blousons, put together by big Velcro stripes.The collection's prints are a new take on glitch art that plays with disintegrated images.

A sporty-chic Z ZEGNA at PITTI 2017

The latest Z Zegna collection takes you on a vintage ski trip for Pitti Uomo 2017, a sporty-chic mood that nobody expected but many welcomed.

It is no secret that the Florence fashion fair was created to bring innovation and prêt à porter all around the world and Zegna knows that well. For the first time the Italian brand presented a line that combines tailoring and performance evolution. For the slopes and the streets, the proposal is a Techmerino total look that takes a quintessential role in this season where layering is key. A foundation of matte black, optical woolen, asphalt grey mélange, light camel and pine leaf green in combination with sportswear graphics take us back to the late 70’s ski seasons in Sankt Moritz where sport never strays too far from fashion and elegance.

The brand decided to converge comfort and excellence in a savvy colour palette that pays tribute to the textile innovation Z Zegna is known for.

Colette x UNDEFETEAD: the hypes’ sneaker exchange

The hype around sneakers has never been so present. Parisian it store Colette, one of Europe's biggest go-to destinations for street-wear designer apparel has partnered with LA-based label UNDEFEATED for the much-anticipate “Sneaker Exchange”. Included in the exchange are no less than 84 brands like Bodega, END, Kith and Slam Jam just to name a few.

Two limited edition and revamped Adidas sneakers to be launched during Paris Fashion Week will be part of this January's exchange. The redesigned editions of iconic models, the Campus 80 and EQT Support. The Campus 80 is bright, in white leather with a royal blue heel while the EQT Support's darker influences are manifested through its deep navy blue shades.

Both models are playing with the concept of opposites, pairing and simultaneously contrasting influences, ideas and cultural currencies, personifying perfectly the concept of the exchange.

The Givenchy Tribe

Givenchy's latest campaign has just been released and the abundance of the brand's signature codes do not go unnoticed. Shot by photographers Mert and Marcus and designed as a double page spread, the campaign plays on the concept of duality and features powerful men and women whose intrepid natures manage to withstand space and time.

A well-balanced blend of feminine and masculine elements that remain classic and chic are the focal points of the campaign. Two girls become twins by dressing identically and a boy plays fashion chameleon by rocking a formal and a streetwear look in a Mars-like landscape. Pair the adventurous nature of the above with the tightly cropped portraits of Givenchy's personality gang and you are given the impression that, although they appear different they do in fact to belong to the same style-savvy tribe.

Of course, Givenchy's now iconic Horizon and Cross Body bags could not be left out of the equation. Serving as a mark of recognition for the brand, their presence encapsulates the luxury label's long-standing fame while looking towards a future of duality. www.givenchy.com

Fashion

K•Swiss Turns Camo for its 50th anniversary

K•Swiss opted for a stylish celebration for its anniversary. The sportswear brand teamed up with Japanese street fashion label AAPE BY A BATHING APE to launch a limited edition collection.

For the occasion, the American tennis brand turns its classic '66 model into a fashionable camouflage sneaker featuring, its now famous, ape-inspired pattern. This makes for a fresh, new take on the brand's most iconic silhouette.

K•Swiss’ signature five stripes, classic D-rings and the unique three-piece toe design along with an all-covering printed pattern fuse together to creates a blend that reflects the DNA of both K•Swiss and AAPE.

Coach and The Webster: between ready-to-wear and Baseman’s designs

Many were the brands that presented their upcoming collections at Miami Art Basel, but it was Coach’s collaboration with The Webster and artist Gary Baseman that transformed it in a special universe of fashion pieces and design sketches.

To celebrate the arrival of the Women’s pre-spring collection and an exclusive preview of the Men’s Spring 2017, the three joined forces to create customized objects based on Baseman characters and his signature “Wildbeast” print.

American iconography is reflected all over the collections through juxtaposing unexpected images and familiar, nostalgic themes. Moreover, at the heart of the project a tougher take on masculinity takes over, celebrating those who are brave and bold enough to subvert conventions and status quo.

During the event, Baseman, gave attendees a sneak peek of the collection’s mood, hand-painting three one-of-a-kind motorcycle jackets. Exclusive design for an exclusive experience.

Le Narcisse Blanc: pure Art de Vivre

Like a bright flower blossoming in the heart of Paris, Le Narcisse Blanc is a contemporary pleasure dome where guests can breathe the magic of the French capital.

Situated between the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides, this 5-star hotel and spa casts an incredible view to the Seine and the most majestic Parisian buildings from its bohemian terraces. Le Narcisse Blanc offers the proper Art de Vivre feeling through its cozy sitting rooms, luxurious spa with swimming pool, hydrotherapy massage jets and sauna and last but not least its 37 spacious bedrooms and suites in silky champagne tones.

Designed in luxurious and refreshing taste by "Laurent & Laurence", the hotel creates a perfect balance between Art Nouveau and Art Deco that are fused with contemporary elements, serving as an homage to the perfect Parisian lifestyle. Because, in the words of Victor Hugo “Respirez Paris, preserve l’âme”.

Celebrating Power

A woman who has leaped far further than ever expected, Rihanna started the 2000s as a fledgling popstar, and now walks into the new decade as a highly successful creative entrepreneur, having integrated inclusion and freedom into the world of luxury fashion. The lady herself has become more than just a brand, but a persona – an ethos. To some, Rihanna is a complete belief system – a way of life – and that way of life is Fenty. The brand’s first Ready-to-Wear release of the decade, 2-20, is all about bringing opulence and attitude to the everyday. Rihanna has become a symbol for diversity, with her countless renegade interactions with the media, preaching body positivity, and a general devil-may-care attitude. The new line is pleasing to the eye, and will indeed appeal to the masses. But as with everything the artist does, it is also rich with emblems of empowerment, managing to represent far more than good looks. Fenty’s trench-inspired parka plays on symbols of power, appealing to aspects of utility to put a fresh spin on a vintage design. The collection exudes femininity, freedom, and sexuality, each element playfully balanced and contrasted. The utilitarian corset dress brings a new meaning to female power by blending the notorious shapewear garment with the desires of the modern woman: sensuality collides with comfort and elegance. The fusion of these aspects with function, together with the flavor of streetwear, plays out through a palette of lemon yellow and burnt paprika hues. The mix of materials and styles pencils an effortless image, commensurate with the complexities of being a woman. Every aspect of the brand celebrates the female spirit and its negotiation of contradictions, from the structure of silhouette itself to the representation of models, casting with an authentic appreciation of inclusion. With Fenty, we find freedom through comfort and utility – this latest drop a deeper dive into what it means to be a woman today: rich with self-awareness, dimensional and knowing.

www.fenty.com

Fashion

From Milan with Love

The new FW20 collection of the independent Milan-based design concept Jing Yu proposes new silhouettes with a contemporary classicism. Redefining traditional clothing as current and refreshing creations, Jing Yu’s latest collection is influenced by the photography of British surrealist painter Paul Nash’s Informal Beauty. Nash’s quiet intensity prospered an experimental vision that translates to Jing Yu’s contemporary interpretation. Clean-cut with attention to detail and made from the finest materials, Jing Yu plays with formality, deconstructs it, and steers it into a new direction. Wawa, Co-Founder of Jing Yu, explains the vision: “Our original idea [was] to explore our understanding of life in a new form and perspective with dialectic analysis to the philosophical eclecticism in [the] design and art field. In a way, it is more like an art project rather than a fashion label, and a dialogue and philosophical discussion between us and audience.”

www.jingyu.eu

Fashion

LV PONT 9

Louis Vuitton has been synonymous with the city of Paris since its establishment on Rue Neuve des Capucines in 1854. Since its inception all those years ago the maison has been successful in selling an image of luxury and always succeeding in superlative quality and craftsmanship. The fashionable essence of the brand is one of timeless chic boasting a sense of parisian mystique. Now with the release of the LV Pont 9 shoulder bag the maison embodies a new, updated symbol of its longstanding commitment to exquisite craftsmanship. Channeling its heritage and home, the house’s new LV Pont 9 leather line takes its name from Paris’ Pont Neuf bridge, an old and celebrated bridge that sits opposite the Louis Vuitton headquarters in Paris. The bag’s refined, rounded design is brought to life in smooth, lightly padded calfskin and finishes with the 1930s archive logo reinterpreted by Nicolas Ghesquière, the House’s Artistic Director of Women’s Collections. The interior, in sleek and colourful leather, features a smart design with two compartments and two practical pockets. The new addition is available in a diverse range of striking colours such as an elegant noir and delicate crème, deep summer gold, feminine and rose dahlia and is available online now.

Diesel Upfreshing

Since almost the entire world has and is going through massive changes, we have begun to reevaluate our decisions, our routines and of course our shopping habits. A shift in thinking is underway in western society as we take a leaf from eastern cultures and start to consider a lean towards a more collective society, one that considers the needs of others rather than just our own immediate universes. Health, prevention and of course sustainability are the words buzzing around everyone’s brains right now and Diesel’s new technology is an ideal solution for these worries. Using technology, Diesel will take a limited amount of items from the Spring 2020 collection and give them a new life and finish with the innovative tech that provides a series of treatments that function as a wearable safeguard against bacteria and germs. Like most things, being fashionable today is equally about being responsible, Diesel ‘Upfreshing’ allows our clothes to be washed less, meaning less water and energy usage and of course less washes means an extended garment lifespan.

Mordechai

Texas trio Khruangbin challenges the outdated convention of musical genres. Their unique sound influences reflect their message of refusing to be pigeonholed into one particular genre or label. During this time we find ourselves searching for new content, looking for the perfect soundtrack to comfort in these times of isolation. The thai-funk band has recently announced the release of their new album, Mordechai, coming June 26. Known for blending global music influences, the band’s sound is a fusion of classic soul, dub and psychedelic. Fusing a range of sounds, the band's name symbolizes the international set of influences that shaped their formation. The genre of Khruangbin’s music is mostly instrumental, with their accent often described as soul, surf, psychedelic, and funk, providing soothing sounds and melodies.

Fendi Outdoor Collection

Summertime is the season for relaxation, for travel and for a little luxury if all things permit. With so much uncertainty in the current moment about what both our near and far future holds for us, it’s difficult to plan for the future. Stuck in this waiting state, we turn to ourselves and our homes for entertainment and luxury. Fendi casa has always provided luxury for the home presenting pieces that embody the Italian maison’s fine heritage of craft and opulence. The new Thea chair combines a romantic design with the iconic leather braiding on the backrest, with all-over FF logo pattern inlaid in the set. While the new Versilia chaise longue presents a solid Iroko wood frame. Offering a selection of seating options including the sofa, loveseat, armchair and chair that further completes the range, ideal for summer lounging and luxury from home.

Brands Giving Back: BOSS

Fashion sales, like much of the world, is right now at a standstill. As we wait for things to return to normality, private sector companies are stepping into the fight in whatever way they can through manufacturing life-saving masks and gowns, funding or raising awareness. Boss is among those helping out as shortages in equipment increase. Manufacturing 180,000 masks, converting its clothing production site in Metzingen and repurposing conference rooms into workshops, the brand also began making protective clothing and hand sanitizers. All items produced will be donated to public facilities where it’s needed most.

Brands Giving Back: Prada

On top of donating funds and manufacturing masks and hospital gowns, Prada has announced its support for a new research project, Proteggimi. Financially supporting research with San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, the project will seek to explain the disparity in the impact of COVID-19 on men and women and to assemble data, broken down by sex.

Prof. Salonia, director of the San Raffaele Urological Research Institute and a lecturer at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, explained, “if we are to understand whether testosterone levels are linked to the severity of the illness, and to assess any long-term impacts on the overall health of men who have recovered from the virus. We hope this research will produce its first results in the next few weeks.”

Galleries Return as Restrictions Ease

March 2020 saw the rapid closure of galleries and museums across the world as the spread of COVID-19 continued to accelerate, leaving such institutions battling for space in the online sphere in an effort to keep the art world afloat in these trying times. Now, as lockdown restrictions begin to ease, we are seeing rays of hope as galleries and cultural institutions plan to re-open. Italy, the hardest-hit country in Europe, is hoping to welcome museum visitors again on May 18, but will require social distancing in the galleries. While the Antwerp museum will open on May 19, as will the Old Masters Museum.
Berlin has planned to reopen its museums on May 4, with precautions such as plexiglass dividers at ticket booths, self-scanning tickets, reduced visitor capacity, and more frequent cleanings. If these precautions are successful, other countries around the world will likely follow suit as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.

Fashion

Louis Vuitton Travel Books

It is not in our nature to be grounded in one space for so long, looking at the same scene every day can leave much to be desired as we feel unnaturally caged, like animals in a zoo. Yet we can escape, we can go wherever we want from our own homes with a good book, an exhilarating film or a beautiful painting. We are blessed to know that no matter where we are, we can still go anywhere. Louis Vuitton’s travel book series is an invitation to real and virtual voyages, enriched by intellectual stimulation and poignant moments. Launching in May 2020, the LV Travel Books embody a contemporary vision of travel and explore the cities and travel destinations through the eyes of artists who are less familiar with them. Featuring both renowned and up-and-coming artists covering some of most beautiful cities the world has to offer. French painter Marc Desgrandchamps shows us Barcelona while American artist Kelly Beeman portrays Saint Petersburg, “I drew inspiration from Hokusai’s prints and Warhol’s first pen-and-ink illustrations.” The books tell the stories through a range of modes including drawing, painting, collage, illustration, cartoons or manga.www.louisvuitton.com

Fashion

Fendi Timeless Bags

Synonymous with taste and even fashion itself, Fendi is renowned for creating iconic style moments whether it be in the form of a bag(uette) or a simple pair of sunglasses. Now, the Roman brand has gathered together two of its most iconic products that have supplemented the brand 's prestigious reputation, the Peekaboo and Baguette. Under the creative direction of Silvia Venturini Fendi, the Roman maison shines a light on these iconic pieces in a contemporary manner alongside the Colibrì shoes and FF Boots. Now a timeless creation, the Baguette is a simple style and comfortable handbag to wear close to the body while the Peekaboo has been interpreted as a refined accessory which can be worn in different ways depending on the occasion. The two bags, symbol of FENDI, have been reinterpreted over the years in countless materials, sizes, colours and have been the protagonists of special projects such as #BaguetteFriendsForever and #MeAndMyPeekaboo. More than cult objects or mere accessories, these iconic attaché’s stand out as timeless symbols of creative sophistication and expression of the labels craftsmanship.

The passing of Leïla Menchari

We were devastated to hear of the passing of Leïla Menchari, longtime Hermes window-dresser, christened ‘The Queen of Enchantment’ by Michel Tournier. Born in 1927, Menchari was the first woman admitted to the Beaux arts school of fine arts in Tunisia, where she grew up. After studying at the Beaux-Arts school in Paris, she began her career in Hermès in 1961 as part of Anne Beaumel’s decoration team. Soon promoted to director of window displays Leïla also designed gloves, bags and clothing. An outstanding dreamer and storyteller, Menchari is well regarded for her work transforming the windows of the Hermès store to become glimpses into another, more luxurious and wonderful world. Passers-by would be gifted with a peek into a scene that even in a moment would always arouse curiosity, surprise and amazement. Her windows became so well-known that in 2017 they held an exhibition devoted to Menchari’s work in the Grand Palais in Paris, “Hermès Takes Flight: The Worlds of Leïla Menchari.”

We remember her as being the person who took window dressing and turned it into an art form, collaborating with artists and creating an always imaginative concept whilst bringing her own personal touch to everything she did. “Thanks to Leïla, exoticism found a home, happily and permanently, in Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré” says Axel Dumas, chief executive officer of Hermès.

Bally AW20 Purity of Form

On the back of seasons of brightly colored fashion pieces and statement-makers, Bally has made the move towards a more organic aesthetic with a collection entitled ‘Purity of Form’ for Fall 2020. The reflection of the theme is not only seen throughout the minimalistic designs but also in the ethos, Bally is emphasising the quality of materials and emphasizing a deep respect for the environment with this collection. Through the use of clean lines, neutral tones and sculptural silhouettes the range highlights the Swiss brand’s heritage while giving it a modern twist. Soft shapes are understated whilst luxurious layering exudes an elegant and simplistic look. Abstract prints inspired by European modernist art marry archival Swiss textile patterns in an unexpected yet effortless mélange. Soft knit cashmere cardigans and roll necks meet the sharp tailored silhouettes of heritage-printed silk shirts and split-seam pants. A favorite of ours is the graphic chevron patchwork coat with hand-cut segments. Presenting artful accessories, such as the new signature 1851 hardware across the versatile Vestige collection of quilted leather totes, chain handle shoulder bags and subtle mini bags. Calling themselves ‘architects of leather’, Bally’s passion and talent for leatherwork is highlighted with oversized leather shirts and high-waisted leather skirts that land beautifully amongst the textured materials and fluid lines of the collection.

Longchamp Roseau Bag

Back in September, Longchamp’s Sophie Delafontaine had guests refreshed and excited as she presented a line for SS20 that stepped away from the brands preceding rock chick aesthetic and cruised in a new direction. A sporty, feminine revamp. Athleisure has become a part of fashion as brands shift and adapt to the needs of the modern woman. Longchamp is no different. The line featured a selection of bags that caught eyes as well as the house’s long-time favorite Roseau bag, but with a new look. In keeping with the sportswear trend, Longchamp has also created a new version of the Roseau in luxuriously soft lambskin leather. The bag itself stays true to the ever-so-loved design with a bamboo-shaped closure that in this version slides onto a leather cord. Bamboo inspired toggle and handles are enlarged, while a more graphic look is gifted from the clean-cut leather edges. This chic minimalist line is available in four sizes and three timeless colors.

Hermès ‘C’est la fête’

Founded in 1837, Hermès began as a bridle and harness company before making the switch to luxury handbags, a decision which led the company to become one of the most successful and iconic brands in the world. Apart from the Birkin bag, Hermès silk scarves have become the most coveted item in the maison’s repertoire, having been quickly adopted by the likes of Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. Now, the famed accessory takes off on a new adventure, that of double-sided printing. Designed by the illustrator Daisuke Nomura, the scarf features two versions of the same design, one on each side. Titled ‘C’est la fête’, the scarf offers two finishes, one classic and the other in outline. Soft and supple, the carré has been specially developed for contemporary menswear. Ideal for the contemporary man, ‘C’est la fête features a two-in-one design to match alternate moods and styles. One of the most meticulously-crafted accessories in the world, the double-sided carré denotes classical influences and modern techniques. www.hermes.com

Fashion

H for Herno

Despite fashion being one of the most competitive and fast-moving industries in the world where trends come and go in the blink of an eye, monograms always seem to withstand the test of time. One thinks of Louis Vuitton, Guess or Burberry and their iconic lettering that have transcended time to become symbols of fashion excellence. Now, as the ‘F’ for Fendi or the ‘G’ for Guess, Herno has ‘H’, tagging onto the never-ending trend with their S/S20 collection. Inspired by the fashion and styling of the 1950’s, Herno brings the monogram to the here and now with a modern twist. Classic and oversize trenches, raincoats, bombers and parkas are either entirely monogrammed or feature simple details placed on discrete areas. A stylish note that aims to lead a narrative that tells a story of Italian know-how and excellence. Monogrammed areas include the back of the collar, on the belt, on tabs or on the inner thermo tapings. Rooted firmly in the past, Herno believes that a brand's success is kept by remembering their origins yet one must always search for new reimaginings and repurposings in spite of the future.

Service à Café en Marbre

Our morning routine becomes leaps and bounds more luxurious when we use a vessel that not only enhances the aesthetic but is forged by a brand name that by its very essence screams opulence. Back in October 2019, YSL’s Anthony Vaccarello launched his reimagined retail concept, the new Saint Laurent Rive Droite. A creative space with a selection of highly curated objects. Now with products available online, the creative retail space is designed with a youthful and revolutionary vision synonymous with the French Maison since the original Saint Laurent Rive Gauche boutique, opened in 1966. Featuring an abundance of items from sportsgear to decorative homewares to aesthetically pleasing paper-clips the store has grown to be a collection of stylish gadgets that appeal to all ages. Hand-cut from fine marble, this decorative coffee service consists of two saucers and two cups with an elegant, heart-shape that exudes a luxurious sensibility. Available in black and white the marble coffee service acts both as a decorative piece to be seen and not touched or it could become our new, albeit decadent morning ritual.

Longchamp Mini and Nano Bags SS20

Making waves since Jacquemus revived the trend in 2017 the nano-bag has caused designers to scramble to show their take on the mini model. However the tiny bag is nothing we haven’t seen before with the trend tracing back as early as 1900. Wealthy women once carried small purses or ‘reticules’ that doubled both as an accessory and status symbol. Founded in 1948 the French luxury brand Longchamp has stood the test of time by utilising its mid-way position between accessible and traditional luxury. Artistic director Sophie Delafontaine’s third collection at New York Fashion Week last September focused on the work of Judy Chicago, employing looks that follow a woman as she traverses the day, fit for any occasion. On top of a sun-bleached palette perfect for the season that’s in it, Spring / Summer 2020 Longchamp also presented their own take on the trend: a selection of pretty little mini bags. Taking inspiration from the brand’s iconic bags they presented a miniature version of the iconic Le Pliage bag. Inspired by origami the light, foldaway bag has established itself as a cult object worldwide. Now they give us the lines Roseau, Cavalcade delight, La Voyageuse and Le Cuir Pliage, miniature versions of the popular Longchamp favorites. The selection includes a drawstring bucket, an open tote, and a top-handle day bag and is available in a number of finishes or materials including nylon, patent leather, calfskin and printed snake.

Aesop Sublime Replenishing Night Masque

The beauty industry has been developing its craft for centuries even the egyptians used creams and cosmetics to improve and protect their skin from the elements. However it is only in recent years that such effective technology and research methods are being utilised. The science of skin is ever-evolving with new, exciting developments constantly coming to the fore. Not only is the research increasingly accurate but there but the average person is more aware of their individual skincare needs. Aesop boasts a fiercely independent approach to product research and development as well as tailoring products to the needs expressed by their pool of customers. The new Sublime Replenishing Night Masque is Aesop’s first product developed explicitly for the night. Offering immediate and sustained hydration to balance skin and brighten its appearance. The light gel-cream has a warm, woody aroma that is rich in vitamins B,C,E and F. As we know, some of the best healing is done after dark. 'Night, When words fade and things come alive.' Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Calvin Klein's New Campaign 2020

The introduction of all-inclusive campaigns has meant that brands have to think twice about their advertising, in particular underwear and lingerie brands are under fire for their marketing methods. Embracing our diverse society is top priority as people want inclusion, they want openness and they want a brand message that they believe in. Clothing that not only looks good but makes them feel good. Riding the wave of the hyper-successful #mycalvins campaign Calvin Klein has announced their latest global operation that preaches self love while exuding confidence. The collection itself features Calvin Klein Jeans body stretch denim and Calvin Klein Underwear breathable and invisible range. The all-star cast were chosen for their willingness to bare themselves to the world. Iconic models such as Kendall Jenner and Hunter Schafer are featured alongside award-winning musicians SZA, Maluma, Lil Nas X, Lay Zhang and Justin Bieber. The campaign, shot by Mario Sorrenti is portrayed as an ode to self expression mixing raw emotion and fantasy with glistening images that say, I am who I am, Deal with it.

Liu Jo's New Spring/Summer Campaign for it's 25th Birthday

Back when Madonna and Whitney were topping the charts, social media was a distant dream and the DVD was only just announced, Italian brand Liu Jo made their debut to the fashion world. Known for offering contemporary styles that exude sensual power and gentleness the label has featured a slew of famous faces for their campaigns from Karlie Kloss to the iconic Kate Moss.

In celebration of their 25th anniversary Liu Jo has teamed up with Kendall Jenner as the face of their 2020 campaign with the hashtag #Bornin1995. The hashtag reflects the milestone that is this birthday (which Jenner shares with the brand) but also looks toward the future with a new beginning. Chosen for her global influence, Jenner’s face and personality will be at the heart of the project which plans to go beyond the usual campaign strategies, creating a new communication system that retains a message preaching empowerment and femininity. Kendall will act as the brands symbol and voice who’s language will resonate with the newer generations.

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Balmain Men's Fall/Winter

Discovering your roots at a adult age is always a an emotional and powerful moment. Last year the documentary “Wonder Boy” portrayed Olivier Rousteing journey in search for his biological parents in Africa. The Men’s Fall Winter 2020 show was a joyful celebration of these roots. Set at Parc de la Villette, the beautiful and complex architectonic wonder designed by French architect Bernard Tschumi, the show unveiled a very new Balmain for Men’s: relaxed silhouettes declined in camel tones, wrapped tunics, mantels, silk slouchy suits, safari outwear. A wardrobe of a man traveling to Africa to discover a new world. Reminiscent of Bertolucci’s “The Sheltering Sky”, its melancholic desert breeze, the orison vastitude.

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Dior Homme Fall/Winter

When approaching the white humongous squared temporary structure built on Place de la Concorde for Dior Homme latest show we felt a sense of thrilling vibe. Inside the space high up to the ceiling transparent boxes occupied almost fully the catwalk where smoke arranged in different colors, from orange to blue, floated intermittently at the rhythm of music as the show started. Kim Jones’s new collection for Dior is all this: the explosion of his favorite silhouettes, of his love for British culture, the ability to dive into archives of a French Maison like Dior, while paying homage to his dear friend, the late Judy Blame, the brilliant stylist and designer, punk icon in the 80s, who passed away just 2 years ago. Blame’s love for gloves, for paisley prints, for jewelry - designed as always by uber-talent Yoon Ahn for Dior Homme - and reminiscent of Blame’s DIY punk signature aesthetic with metal chains adorned with charm-like crystals, roses, tags. But also the British tailored savoir faire of layering blazers and overcoats. An exquisite long silk shirt at knees length with paisley print worn under a blazer and the closing look – a coat embroidered with sequins into a feather motif inspired by a couture dress by Marc Bohan from 1969 - were undoubtedly breathtaking. The latter requiring 1000 hours of work left speechless at closer look during the re-see. Kim Jones found his dimension at Dior and we are thrilled to see what’s next.

Milan Fashion Week 2020 - Prada Men's Fall/Winter

The overarching theme of the Milan Men’s Fashion Week was to redefine masculinity and find an answer to the question what it means to be a man in the decades to come. For Prada, the modern man draws from tradition, but is equally transformed, leaving behind existing and clearly defined gender roles. A fantasy and fresh take on classic masculine heroism. His wardrobe should represent this new spirit. Inspired by classic pieces, the Italian house boldly combines traditional materials with the modern and technologically innovative fibres, creating a deceptive contrast. Pieces might look inherently traditional at first sight, but novelty methods of production allow Prada to create extreme and previously unachieved shapes and a series of varying silhouettes undermining and ultimately fracturing our lacklustre idea of male power and force. The collection was presented in a setup reminiscent of the metaphysical paintings of Giorgio di Chirico. The essence of the classic Italian piazza is transformed into an enigmatic porch with a equestrian statue at the centre. Purposely totally unheroic, fabricated from cardboard, it becomes an embodiment of the underlying thought. Appearing and disappearing through openings, the models seem to wander through the space, blurring the line between what is exposed and what is concealed.

Graphic By Nature

After having opened its doors last year, the spotlight falls once more on the new Bally flagship store in Milan. Situated in Via Napoleone, one of the centres for luxury retail in Milan itself, the store hosted the unveiling of the SS20 collection during Milan Men’s Fashion Week. Among the guests were notable friends of the brand, from Italian actress and model Elisa Sednaoui to a multitude of influences like Linda Tol, Ami and Aya Taiki and Noah Lee. The Bally House proved the perfect location to amplify the collection’s underlying philosophy ‘Graphic by Nature’, illustrating one of the Swiss brand’s pillar, the intricate interaction between design and the nature that surrounds it. For this special occasion, the brand teamed up with Stefan Beckman, who transformed the store into a digital Alpine forest, shimmering in Spring hues and adorned with the native flora. An immersive installation, the transformation was not solely visual, but an immersive experience featuring a soundtrack consisting of lyrics, beats and birdsongs.

Milan Fashion Week 2020 - Fendi Men's Fall/Winter

With her new FW 2020 Menswear collection, Silvia Venturini Fendi lays out her personal vision of the modern man. Inspired by the classic notion of the gentleman, Fendi presents a collection that features classic men’s garments enhanced with modern twists, proving that even tradition is not always what it appears to be at first sight. To achieve this, FENDI teams up with Japanese designer ANREALAGE, combining Italian craftsmanship with the famed futuristic spirit of Japan’s fashion scene. The collection itself combines the retro with the futuristic resulting in an exciting wardrobe for the modern gentleman. Blazer as well as coats are turned inside out with visible contours of lining and inside pockets, which themselves were adapted to the modern times, with the cigar pocket being replaced by a compartment for credit cards or AirPods. Another highlight of the collection was the utilitarian nature of several of the garments. Through strategically placed zippers, the garments receive a shape-shifting ability, allowing the wearer to adapt the garments to his needs, whether as overcoat, jacket or bolero. The collection was rounded out with accessories in the typical FENDI yellow, with the oversized shopper reminiscent of the FENDI packaging being the stand-out piece amongst various new takes on the classics.

Celine opens Haute Parfumerie Boutique in Paris

In the heart of Paris, at 390 rue Saint-Honoré, now arises the home of Celine’s new Haute Parfumerie Boutique. Following the unique Hedi Slimane’s architectural design concept for the maison’s stores launched in February 2019, the Haute Parfumerie Boutique juxtaposes natural materials and a strong sculptural connotation where Noir Grand Antique marble – a black marble quarried in France is at its centre, reconnecting with Celine’s French heritage while recalling a 21st century Brutalism. The multitude of mirrors together with an infinite amount of perfume bottles displayed as a floating large organ - a virtual modern cathedral designed by Hedi Slimane himself - confer a further mise-en-scène for the artworks (acquired or specifically commissioned for the store) of relevant contemporary artist such as Luisa Gardini, Rochelle Goldberg, Camilla Rayman, Søren Sejr. A stratification of materials, surfaces, images hosting all the maison’s perfume creations and the new Celine’s spirit.

Moose Knuckles: Seven Deadly Sins

This past August, for their Fall/Winter collection, Moose Knuckles released a cinematic campaign entitled ‘Sacred Glacier’ starring Dennis Rodman. Now diving deeper into the themes introduced in ‘Sacred Glacier’, Moose Knuckles explores ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ through photographer Vijat M and multi-disciplinary entrepreneur Kristen Noel Crawley. For those that might not know, the seven deadly sins include pride, wrath, envy, indolence, gourmand, greed and lust. A variety of colors will evoke the cardinal vices or sins on modern designs, with the help of Crawley Moose Knuckles continues to reimagine an ancient list of evil temptations.

Their ‘Wrath’ collection draws inspiration from the wisdom of mystics, tarot cards are printed on tees and sweatshirts as well as on the lining of purple parkas and puffers. Exclusive events at Verso, Antwerp and Shoreditch, London will celebrate the collection’s release, the theme of course being ‘Seven Deadly Sins’. For each of these sins there is a corresponding garment, the capsule collections will be launched at select retailers over a period of four weeks from the 14th of October onwards. To be sheltered from the cold is a blessing, The first chapter in their collection being ‘Pride and Wrath’, with ‘Envy and Indolence’ and ‘Gourmand, Greed and Lust’ to follow.

With exceptional tailoring and a legacy of providing warmth, comfort and protection from the harshest elements the creative minds at work thrust us into a new and exciting chapter of Moose Knuckles.

Armani Art Exchange: #st_ART

In the fifth issue of #st_ART, dedicated to combining contemporary and street-art, Armani has released a capsule collection with young, international artists at its heart. Artists involved in the Art Exchange this year include Max Reed, Harry Hambley, Bunny Michael, Freddy Carrasco and Jacob Rochester. All distinctive and endearing in their own right as they sit on the precipice of wider acclaim in the art world, they have created designs just for Armani. Where street art meets contemporary art is a hard place to define, mostly because contemporary art often overlooks street artists who are quite literally creating art in the most contemporary sense. Whether in print, on a gallery wall, on social media or sprayed on a brick wall in a car park, art and artists live everywhere. Armani has acknowledged and commended this, giving six artists the opportunity to design for their latest capsule collection.

Whether it’s the humble beginnings of a senior high school student’s drawings or the quest for the point where home and heritage meets; these artists are ascending rapidly. Freddy Carrasco, born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Toronto journeyed to Rural Japan in order to find his inner creator, spreading murals around Japan while cultivating cabbage and cucumber as a form of creation in its own right. Harry Hambley was finishing up high school when he penned the character ‘Ketnipz’ to embody his own confusion and sense of misdirection. That character took off on Instagram and consequently led to Hambley working on designs with Snapchat and Instagram. Jacob Rochester, designer and illustrator based in Los Angeles will bring his blend of ephemeral style and obscure art references to #st_ART. Each one of these artists has a voice that cannot and will not be quieted; now amplified by Armani’s latest capsule collection.

COMME des GARÇONS SS20

The meaning of gender identity, of transformations, of blossoming love, the sexual allure of crossing gender, but also a fantasy world, a otherworldly atmosphere.

Virgina Woolf’s “Orlando” is about all these themes: her peculiar mind has been one of the most prolific and admired as one of the most brilliant writers of the 20th century. But it’s her relationship with her friend Victoria that also deeply inspired her: the wish to love freely, to be far from social constrains. The hardship of living as woman in a timeframe when restrictions were of natural routine for women is indeed a recurring theme in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando.

It goes without saying that when, about 4 years ago, it was announced that acclaimed Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth and Rei Kawakubo were about to collaborate in a opera adaptation of Woolf’s Orlando, we all felt a gasp of excitement. Fascinated by the several facets of life, from politics to art, psychology, and diversity, Olga Neuwirth has been always working on complex Opera working with Nobel Prize Winner Eilfriede Jelinek and writer Barry Gifford.

“Transformation and liberation through time”, Rei Kawakubo’s work around the narratives in Woolf’s Orlando has been rendered in three acts: the first presented in June for Comme des Garçons Homme Plus and the second for Spring Summer 2020. The third will be on stage during the world premiere of Neuwirt’s Opera at the Wiener Staatsoper in December.

If the first act was channelled through the questioning around male wardrobe expressed from ungendered garments to ruffled petticoats matched with frock coats, Comme des Garçons Spring Summer 2020 was a pure blossoming. Flowers, abundance of colors in vibrant hues: red, pink, green, light blue, purple, yellow, white. A grandeur of embroideries, jacquards, knotted structures and cocoon-like silhouettes. Kawakubo’s power of imagination for Spring Summer 2020 travels through different period, from Elizabethan era to 19th century, till futuristic injections.

It was a collection celebrating the female gaze – see the gigantic skirt as dress/cocoon in one of the look or the flower-like bulb in full blossom in another. We are looking forward to seeing the final act in Vienna

Issey Miyake SS20

The 81 years old Issey Miyake has been always a researcher and pioneer in terms of technology and the construction of garments around the body. Many times during his long career he turned over the direction of his brand to his associate in order to dedicate himself fully to research.

Arriving at Centquatre - a cultural centre where dance, theatre, street art come together at the northeast edge of Paris in the 19th arrondissement – we a saw a place buzzing with excitement and creative spirit.

Satoshi Kondo, the newly appointed designer at Issey Miyake, already working for the brand for the last 13 years, delivered a spectacle we haven’t seen at the brand since a while. Several “chapters” disclosed through a beautiful dance performance that injected in the audience what Kondo addressed as the main theme of the collection: joy.

The opening skin tones colored looks, the prints depicting two embracing figures in a Yves Klein blue, but also parachute-like fabric rendered in coat on models on skateboards running across the space. The performance arrived at his best when pleated dresses came down from above through wires directly on the models and disclosing the beautiful hand pleating in circular patterns bouncing at the dancers’ moves.

Hermès SS20

We have been struck by the delicacy Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski infuses every season in her vision for Hermès. For Spring Summer 2020 she talks about powerful femininity ready for our times. For Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski a woman need to walk, move freely and go to work, without renouncing to beauty. But what is beauty? It was questioned in the show notes. Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski answers with a clear vision: beauty is not equal to perfection, but to the multitudes of all beauties out there.

A fresh minimalism is declined with several inspirations. One above all the apron - worn at the Hermès leather workshop in Pantin - here deconstructed and revisited on tops and jumpers creating sculptural elements and open back.

The safari atmosphere is visible in multiple pockets jackets - the classic saharienne - in Heritage calfskin, a cargo playsuit in washed cotton gabardine and cargo trousers. Vanhee-Cybulski’s and Hermès continuous research on leather is seen on buttersoft leather dresses together with patchwork details rendered in lambskin doubled with silk organza. A research found in the beautiful equestrian inspired looks like the harness-inspired trench coat in fine stripe cotton or the equestrian-inspired openwork coat, in double-face cashmere jacquard adorned with chestnut patches.

Dries Van Noten & Christian Lacroix: SS20 Women's

Dries Van Noten wanted clothes to excite, inspire joy, from this initial thought he says “I quickly realized that all roads seemed to lead to the work and world – of Mr. Christian Lacroix”.

In conversation with Susannah Frankel, Dries Van Noten and Monsieur Christian Lacroix met on the Champs Elysées, a middle ground between Antwerp and Arles in Paris, the home of haute couture. It was here, in March, they discussed their work on a women’s SS20 collection. Expression that dares, clothes that derive life and feeling are at the heart of Dries Van Noten’s design ethic. Van Noten’s counter-part is the French couturier, Christian Lacroix. It is only natural that they meet and discuss their joys and aspirations, their sensibilities and their voice in the world of fashion. In the collection, jeans with an appliquéd feather or feather print on one leg embody their shared passion for expressive fashion that is street-ready. The SS20 women’s collection also features jacquards inspired by Kubrick’s 1975 film ‘Barry Lyndon’. The dreamy Lyon jacquards were woven on looms, true to the era in which ‘Barry Lyndon’ was set. Every detail has a story, every item in the collection is a shout and not a meek whisper, these two minds have brought their joy to the masses in a striking ready-to-wear women’s collection for SS20.

Dries speaks of Lacroix with excitement, noting how uninhibited their process was. “Knowing that Christian was there, the fact that we could have the help of Christian to make this collection was so inspiring for us, it gave us the creative freedom to think: okay let’s have big shapes, let’s have big colors, big prints, a little bigger, a little brighter? Why not? Why not?”. Lacroix was feeling a little alien upon arrival at the Dries Van Noten studio. This feeling quickly dissolved as their working relationship blossomed, Lacroix spoke openly saying “I don’t know Belgium very well but there is an elegance that is restrained but discreetly generous. He has that.” Van Noten goes on to say, “The idea is to bring fun ideas, nothing too serious, things that I think perhaps we have lost a little in fashion. We have lost maybe the joy of dressing up, of playing with fashion, combining many different things.”

Hermès: The Arceau Astrologie Nouvelle

There is a distinct difference between destruction and deconstruction, one ruins and the other presents an opportunity to rebuild, reorder and reinvigorate. With their new Arceau Astrologie Nouvelle, complete with matte black alligator strap, Hermés has deconstructed their original Arceau watch. In 1978 the historically favored prestige watch-maker, Hermès, released The Arceau watch. Designed by Henri d’Origny, the watch was designed in the image of a horse stirrup. This year, after a handful of variations on The Arceau, including the Écuyère, the watch is reborn. Woodwork is not often associated with horology and yet Hermès has taken precious wood from a tree native to North America, the Yellow Tulip tree. This wood is then framed it in white gold and sapphire crystal glass with an anti-glare polish, in order to properly observe both artistry and the fluid continuity of time. Other varieties depict their horse head motif as well as a wolf howling at the moon to make the line between fashion and craft all the more indistinguishable.

The wood was chosen for its fine grain and similar shade to the original Arceau, the Astrologie Nouvelle model is self-winding and retains energy for up to fifty hours. Sometimes an artwork’s frame is every bit as gorgeous as the painting it houses, this watch’s creative technicality paired with the classicism of the original model achieves just that. Minuscule details attract curious eyes, the result of three weeks patience and dexterity in the Hermès atelier. Wooden intersections detailed with the Astrologie Nouvelle pattern allign like pieces find their unique place a jigsaw puzzle. The new timepiece proudly displays considerate and remarkable expertise at work. The Arceau Astrologie Nouvelle watch fragments and transposes the Hermès Astrologie Nouvelle scarf into a playful monotone dial. The watch is available in a limited edition release, only eight variations on the classic ’78 model will be released.

BMW: ‘Concept 4’

BMW, a household name in car manufacturing has brought us many thrills in the past. Now, long past the notion of reaching any discernible peak or glass ceiling, they intend to remind drivers to expect the unexpected. From the m3 to the m5 and their lustrous hybrid i8 model, BMW has displayed finesse in both environmentally conscious engineering and cars that can handle great speeds. The Concept 4 echoes the company’s core DNA at every turn. It’s safe to say their contributions to the automotive world are as fruitful as they are plentiful.

At their headquarters in Munich the tireless minds at BMW have introduced their concept for the future to its physical embodiment. The BMW Concept 4, a striking coupe in the same vein as the 328 or the 3.0CSi but with significantly more artful design sensibilities. Though this vehicle has all the design elements we’ve come to love from BMW, the look is exaggerated so as not to understate what is undeniably a great stride forward for the carmaker. Proportionally the bonnet it stretched and affixed with a reinterpreted vertical kidney grille reminiscent of the 328 Roadster 2.0 that facilitates advanced air intake. The car’s tail end curves into its streamlined roof, its stance evoking an unyielding brawn.

The Concept 4 was shaped and moulded with great care to become the new face of the 4 series, rigorously enhanced. Millimetre precise contours add to a voluminous build, the Concept 4 is like a low riding muscle with a long wheelbase and a shapely sophistication that ensures it is not soon forgotten. First unveiled at Frankfurt’s 68th IAA car show, BMW’s Concept 4 is a blood oath with their customer, to excite and to never settle for the assumed standard. This model foreshadows what is in store for their 4 series range.

NYFW: Longchamp SS20

Only a handful of days ago creative director of Longchamp, Sophie Delafontaine, envisioned and presented a sunburst of retro elegance with her SS20 Runway during New York Fashion Week. An artist adored by Los Angeles, Judy Chicago, is the easel this art rests on. The colors brought out in this collection encourage the same freedoms that entice on late Summer afternoons when the sun has not yet fallen on a hot day. Sky blues and dreamy yellows that reminds you of the first small flower to push through the grass, the truest colors of Summer can be found in Delafontaine’s collection. New York was privelleged to host some fine Paris tailoring and Longchamp delivered.

The classic Roseau bag returns in new contortions, the Le Pliage bag, originally designed by Philippe Cassegrain in ’93, is dramatically downsized, appearing in ‘mini’ and ‘nano’ variations. Putting the right foot forward, Longchamp takes on footwear from contemporary boots to classic laced designs. Lots of rosey faces were in attendance including Kate Moss, Victoria Swarovski, Flaviana Matata, Kendall Jenner and Julianne Moore. All looks appear unquestionably complete as they burned up the runway. Along with nylon crop tops with transparent skirts, floral appliqués and high-cut shorts, this show was for the women that make the very most of Summer. A plateau of different colors and fabrics flowed as the models walked for New York, each step seemingly bringing Summer closer and closer until you could practically hear crickets singing from their warm blanket of Earth beneath the runway.

CAMPER FW19: 'RALLY'

Romain Kremer, Camper’s first ever creative director, has been inspired by the the discipline and agility of motorsport. “Rally” will mark Kremer’s final campaign for Camper, with this the intention is clear, to excite and motivate the wearer in their pursuit of performative excellence. Everyone has their own race, and with it an itching desire to navigate their race without hesitation, fault or failure. The shapely contours and eight different variations from Kremer’s collection challenge the wearer to find the shoe that helps drive their race. Camper allows a flash-flood of colors and future-centric design to throttle us into the rest of their Fall/Winter 2019 collection, available from today.

A driver’s rally car is built around the driver themselves, how do they move? How do they react under pressure? This collection answers these same questions, making it clear in no uncertain terms that the wearer is used to standing out, entirely self-assured and exist as a breakthrough force to be reckoned with. The spray of champagne once the race is won can hardly be felt through a rush of pins and needles coursing through the driver’s body, a restless and machine-like perfectionism about them. On track or off-track this feeling remains, so too this feeling lives in Camper’s new collection, aptly dubbed “Rally”.

TOOL: 'Fear Inoculum'

After fourteen long years, after legal battles and motorcycle crashes and cracked ribs, TOOL is back to remind us no one can do what they do. The LA rock group that formed in 1990, mythicized in Rock & Roll history with band members that happened to live above one another before being introduced by legendary guitarist Tom Morello, and over time even making a fan out of King Crimson’s guitarist, Robert Fripp, today delivers their fifth studio album under the title “Fear Inoculum”.

Fourteen years ago when they received awards and accolades for “10,000 Days” they were keen to write more music, even announcing that they’d begin writing for their fifth album “right away” on MTV. “10,000 Days” went platinum with songs like “The Pot” and “Vicarious”. They recorded instrumentation without Keenan, who planned to lay the vocals over their recordings once they were finished, as was their working method. In 2012 their website read that they were half way done with recording the album before vocals.

Then the worst happened, their drummer Danny Carey had broken multiple ribs in a motorcycle accident. Being that rhythm and varying time signatures were at the core of TOOL’s style, they had no choice but to give Carey as much time as he needed to recover fully. Adding to this unexpected hiatus in writing and recording they were mired in court battles since 2007 after an old acquaintance of the band that claimed he’d created the artwork for “10,000 Days”.

The distinctive rolling thunder of Justin Chancellor’s bass and twisted, theatrical machismo of Maynard Keenan’s vocals are not easily forgotten. Their fans never ever left. Not to mention their three-time Grammy winning guitarist Adam Jones. Their sound is rooted in technical perfectionism, being totally in sync within a totally insane song; some might refer to this as organized chaos. The writing process was everything to TOOL, after more than five thousand days they have delivered “Fear Inoculum”. After what feels like one of the longest waits in music history, TOOL reconnects with their fan base through this riveting seven-track project, hoping that their following will hear it with perked ears and little hairs standing upright on the back of their necks.

Frédéric Malle presents 'Rose & Cuir'

Frédéric Malle has called upon close collaborator and highly skilled perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena, to concoct the latest fragrance in Malle’s “Editions de Parfumes” collection. They have named the fragrance, for the first time personably appearing under the name of the perfumer himself, Jean-Claude Ellena, ‘Rose & Cuir’.

A teasing of rose leads us to that smell of power withheld in fine leather, this is followed by custom extractions of timut pepper and geranium bourbon scents. Ellena maintains his signature minimalism, attained as a disciple of legendary perfumer Edmond Roudnitska , while brandishing less common and intricately selective aromas.

Notes of vetiver and cedar elevate an already present maturity in ‘Rose & Cuir’. The initial pleasantry of rose is almost an introductory formality; in order to cleanse your palette for Jean Claude’s more prized scents. ‘Rose & Cuir’ was inspired by the storied Mistral winds that grow faster and faster as they sweep through the south of France and up toward the Gulf of Lion.

In Grasse, France, the exact ingredients that Jean-Claude requested were then created by Frederique Remy, the owner of Floral Concept, the most advanced natural extraction laboratory in the world. The meeting of these minds and their shared intentions have brought to life a seductive, rich and curiously controlled crescendo that needs no musk or additives to finish. Ellena ensures that there is no singularly overbearing scent, in his own words “perfume is a soft caress, nothing must shock, nothing must shout”.

Lovingly Renovated: The Cranford Collection

The Cranford Collection is the most prized collection of art in Europe; nearly 700 works of fine art live in a residential building in Regent’s Park, London. The collection rotates every 18 months under the expert curatorship of Anne Pontégnie, who has been the guiding force behind the collection since 2011. The Cranford Collection exemplifies how art might be seen with fresh eyes in an intimate setting undistracted by any impinging tones set by the impossibly high glass ceilings and large slabs of bedrock found in most other museums. Architecture has a profound effect on the way art is viewed; The Cranford Collection explores the notion that all artworks are at the mercy of the placid walls they adorn.

The Cranford Collection is home to masterpieces by Bruce Nauman, Louis Bourgeois, Alice Neel and many others. The residential location at Gloucester Gate is fresh off the heels of its recent renovation by London based architect, David Chipperfield. The original building was designed by John Nash, one of Great Britain’s foremost architects responsible for the lasting neo-classical elements of England’s Regency and Georgian eras. The essential style of the building has been retained while the space itself has expanded to suit the needs of artists in pursuit of bettering their work. MFA students can now attend talks and discussions, school groups can tour by appointment and the esteemed residential gallery will host film screenings. The Cranford Collection’s collaboration with the Camden Arts Centre ensures artists can apply for residency or publishing of art books. The private gallery has been lovingly expanded to make up and coming artists feel right at home.

Missoni: Casual Finesse

If there is one trend that stands out and has dominated fashion over the last few seasons, it has to be streetwear. Streetwear staples, such as hoodies and sneakers, have become absolute must-have items and they have been elevated, at one point or the other, into the realm of luxury ready-to-wear at every fashion houses. The trend pendulum keeps swinging ceaselessly, so even last seasons’ streetwear aesthetic will be replaced eventually. Maybe sooner than we think.

Missoni’s new Menswear FW19 collection might be the first precursor, as it perfectly illustrates a new sense of formality this season. Reminiscent of ‘70s glamour, the Italian brand dives into the realm of evening wear, reconstructing classic pieces with the signature Missoni finesse. The collection is defined by the narrow and elongated silhouette of smartly tailored pieces: high-waisted, tapered trousers are paired with blazers or caban coats – belted double-breasted or reversible, which softly envelop the body.

In signature Missoni fashion, the collection demonstrates the house’s long-established expertise and heritage in knit and weaving. Using a variety of finely knitted materials for their garment construction, some of the standouts are definitely the tuxedos in woven or lamé flecked loom-knit fabrics, alongside the house’s luxuriously soft basic knitwear staples in cashmere, mohair and fleecy wool.

The color palette of the FW19 collection features soft and refined gradients of earthy tones and radiant hues, inspired by the tonal dégradés of the Swedish-Chilean artist Anton Alvarez’s work. Textural, abstract and boldly colored, Alvarez’s work has resonated with Angela Missoni and inspired this season’s collaboration. The resulting pieces, two distinctive cable knits, play on different patterns and textures, perfectly merging the artist’s eclecticism with Missoni heritage.

This season’s style for the Missoni man is more soigné, proving that informality does not have to come at the expense of elegance.

The World's True Protagonist

Cartier, world-renowned jeweler, is starting a dialogue with environmentally conscious speakers, artists, philosophers and academics in an exhibition dubbed "TREES". This exhibition offers a long awaited chance for the humanity of such an issue to be unfettered by political inaction. Artistic contributions from Latin America, Iran, the United States and European nations reinforce a shared goal and the global unity necessary to progress. Vital and intimately connected to the issue, "TREES" provides a platform for Indigenous representatives like the Nivaclé and Guarani of Gran Chaco (Paraguay) as well as the Yanomami Indians who live in the heart of the Amazonian forest. It is through Foundation Cartier's platform these voices can urge and advocate for the conservation and protection of the Amazon rainforest. Trees, the gentle giants so unassuming yet crucial to life on Earth, provide sanctity to humans and deserve sanctity from industrialism. The relationship between humans and trees will be thoroughly explored in a film by Raymond Depardon.

"TREES" will be curated by Hervé Chandès, Isabelle Gaudefroy and anthropologist, Bruce Albert, a long time companion of the foundation since Cartier's exhibition "Yanomami, Spirit of the Forest" (2003). Three narrative threads tie this exhibition together. Firstly, trees as we know them, then the aesthetic observation of trees and lastly, the devastation of trees as visualized through documentary film and pictorial testimony. The Brazilian artist, Luiz Zerbini, explores the blunt force with which urbanism defiles the world's natural environment. Stefano Mancuso will speak on the intelligence and awareness of plant life as it communicates and interacts with its surroundings. This exhibition of purposeful unity will remind change makers that trees are they are the lungs of our suffocating world and they are at risk of never breathing at full capacity again.

The event will run from July 12th to November 10th at 261, Boulevard Raspail, Paris, The Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art.

She's Never Alone With her Longchamp: FW19

Longchamp’s creative director, Sophie Delafontaine, has envisioned a new travel companion with the vanity travel cases of previous eras at heart. The 'La Voyageuse' bag comes in three variations and a handful of adjustable styles for the modern woman that makes travel look like a breeze. 'La Voyageuse', French for ‘the traveller’, encourages you to take pride in the freedom of constant mobility, curiosity and forward motion.

'La Voyageuse' is paradoxically faced with the issue of the occasional lonesome and quiet nature of solo travel. For nights out in foreign cities there are two additional styles. A small cross-body bag with a detachable strap that doubles as a clutch and a second style that draws inspiration from vintage newspaper bags, minimalist and uncluttered, with removable handles for those into customization. Whether it’s the miniature ‘La Voyageuse’ or the ‘La Voyageuse’ LGP Jacquard intricately designed with wool canvas and black calf detail, whether it is for spontaneous weekend flights or longer, more adventurous trips, travellers will be very taken by the 2019 Fall / Winter collection.

The highlight of Longchamp’s Fall/Winter season ‘La Voyageuse’ will be in stores from 27th August. www.longchamp.com

Fashion

Dream It Real

In fashion, every new season is a new beginning. The old collections disappear as they are replaced with the new looks. The turnaround can be quite drastic, so it is crucial for brands to showcase the new season’s aesthetic. Often the first point of contact between the brand and its customers, the campaign, enveloped in a thought-provoking narrative, sets the tone for the new season.

Inspired by the 21st-century dreamer, chasing infinite possibilities in the city of New York, Coach unveils its new look and feel for the house. Alongside Michael B. Jordan and Kiko Mizuhara, the Coach family is extended by Yara Shahidi, Jemima Kirke, Lolo Zouaï, Miles Heizer and new Coach ambassador Liu Wen.

The unique essence of this diverse cast is captured by famous photographer Juergen Teller, who once more proves his ability to reveal his subject’s authentic personality and humanity. Shot in iconic landscapes around New York City, the campaign accentuates the house’s heritage and connection to the city as well as the city’s unapologetic and free-spirited attitude.

Bally: Peak Outlook Initiative

Reaching the top of Mount Everest literally means arriving at the top of the world. Trekking this iconic peak, measuring 8,848m, remains a remarkable feat, which only a relatively small number of people have achieved. With the rise of outdoor activities and extreme sports, the number of adventurers attempting this endeavor has sharply risen over the last decades, over 1200 in 2019 alone, leaving behind a devastating footprint of trash and debris in the high altitude territories.

Bally’s relation to Mount Everest dates back to the earliest expeditions trying to conquer its peak. In 1947, the luxury brand provided the Swiss expedition with rubber-soled footwear, with the world-famous Bally reindeer boots being worn during the first-ever successful summit in 1953.

With this enduring bond to the mountains, deriving from the house’s deeply-rooted Swiss heritage, it should come to nobody’s surprise that Bally launched the Peak Outlook Initiative, a long term commitment, to preserve the mountain environment and the lifestyle of the communities that call it their home. With the first edition of the Bally-sponsored clean-up mission, the group of experienced climbers removed over 1 ton of waste from areas only reachable by humans. A second undertaking has already been initiated for the end of the season to discard the debris left by the numerous expedition teams.

To celebrate the launch of Bally Peak Outlook, the Swiss house introduces an exclusive capsule collection, pledging its net profits to benefit future expeditions. The first unveiled item is a t-shirt, adorned with the slogan ‘No Mountain High Enough’. Produced from GOTS-certified cotton, it underscores the house’s larger commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, not solely limited to the world’s most extreme mountain regions.

Boggi Milano: Italian Elegance

The suit is to men what the little black dress is to women. Highly versatile, whether in the classic three-piece ensemble or in a more casual combination, it can be adapted to almost any social setting and situation. With the life of modern men becoming more diverse and cosmopolitan, the suit had to adapt to a new set of challenges.

Milan is a global fashion city with a long and rich tradition in men’s wear. Considered as the capital of men’s fashion, it is the perfect setting for Boggi Milano to showcase its Fall/Winter 2019 collection. By allowing the city’s cultural, social and architectural fabric to shine through, Boggi pays homage to its birthplace and the notion of Italian elegance. In cinematographic pictures, which relate to the men’s daily emotions as fathers, husbands or boyfriends, Boggi presents a new image of the man, capable, cultivated and self-confident.

The collection itself is defined by precise tech-tailoring, layering and the use of premium fabrics. Apart from exquisitely tailored suits, the more relaxed wardrobe of versatile pieces, embracing masculine elegance and innovation, offers the modern man the perfect attire for both formal occasions as well as leisure time.

Celebrating 60 years of MINI and the MINI Electric

A very famous proverb tell us: ‘Do not change a winning formula.’ British car manufacturer MINI has taken this to heart, leaving the design of their signature car largely unchanged for decades. Instantly recognizable, the shape has been engrained deeply in our minds and has become synonymous with the brand MINI. Nevertheless, progress has not passed the British manufacturer by.

Recognizing the growing ecological awareness of a new generation of consumers, Mini unveils its first electronic MINI model. With the new Mini Electric, the British brand is making a huge step towards a new mode of urban mobility, combining the revolutionary design of the classic MINI with a clean electric engine.

In celebration of their 60th anniversary, MINI proves that progress does not have to come at the expense of tradition, by adjusting everything that distinguishes a MINI to modern needs.

The new MINI Electric will become available in 2020, but can be pre-ordered via the online reservation tool.

CHANEL Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019

Certain houses are defined by a single person; a person so impactful that their presence can still be felt long after their passing. In the case of CHANEL, it is not just one but two individuals whose legacies still loom over the house. Coco Chanel founded the eponymous house and it was Karl Lagerfeld, who remained at its helm for over 30 years. A hard act to follow.

When Virginie Viard was announced as Lagerfeld’s successor, her name burst into the main spotlight of the fashion industry. Despite this being her first CHANEL Couture show as Artistic Director, Viard’s relation with the house of CHANEL started over three decades ago, first as a member of the design studio and since 1997 overseeing the haute couture. A fact that became obvious in the created atmosphere of quiet savoir-faire.

With her first collection, Viard honors the exquisite craftsmanship found in the CHANEL Haute Couture studios and utilizes it to realize her own vision of the classic CHANEL woman, defined by a sense of nonchalant elegance. Nevertheless, one can feel the influences of Coco and Karl throughout the show. The mostly tall and narrow silhouettes, paired with 30’s inspired wide-styled trousers hinted at the house’s founder whereas the feathered ruffs, high white collars and sequined embroidery were reminiscent of Lagerfeld.

Viard’s first haute couture collection and the imposing transformation of the Grand Palais into a grand circular library prove that the designers might change, but CHANEL remains a giant of French culture and a blockbuster event of any Paris Fashion Week.

Paul Smith Spring/Summer 2020

Oversized suits in dusty colors from pink to sage. Beautiful double breasted elongated blazers worn just buttoned at the inner side, leaving the wide lapels on a fluid motion.

For his eponymous label’s Spring/Summer 2020, Paul Smith revisited the ‘70s in New York with its artistic vibrancy and young art scene. Having experienced first hand during his travels at the time, Paul Smith channelled all of that eclectic atmosphere, imbued of unconstrained creativity.

Tailored leather jackets worn with drawstring tracksuit trousers in sage nylon, double breasted blazers at times cropped on the waste and worn with high rise fluid pants both for men and women. The color palette is also filled with hues reminiscent of Pop Art chromatic scale: yellow, fluorescent orange and cobalt blue.

During his visit in the big apple, Paul Smith breathed the environment around iconic galleries, like Leo Castelli, definitely the most prominent art venue in the world during those years and one of the first in late 50s to showcase Pop Art when Jasper Johns joined the gallery.

The collection almost stripped of accessories presented few beautiful slouched big drawstring bag worn cross body over suits, both for men and women’s. A relaxed mood so appealing and modern we have loved every bit.

Jil Sander Men's Spring Summer 2020

Upon the sand, upon the bay/"There is a quick and easy way" you say/Before you illustrate/I'd rather state:/"I'm not the man you think I am”. The sound of The Smiths permeated the whole room. There was a translucent wall as a backdrop. Just behind you could see the shadow of dozens of flowers, along its whole perimeter.

Are they the same flowers that will blossom when planting the few seeds received as show invite? I haven’t asked Lucie and Luke Meier, but I am pretty sure they are.

Season after season the couple has been building a strong coherent identity for Jil Sander. A modern minimalism with delicate features. Just think of Mario Sorrenti’s Spring Summer ‘19 campaign for the house: the poetry of the soft breeze walking on a summer day in Japan.

The contrast between the beautifully fragile and the modern effortless rendered perfectly the vision of the Meier couple’s for Jil Sander. www.jilsander.com

Fashion

Hermès Men's Spring Summer 2020

The internal court of the iconic Mobilier National by legendary architect Auguste Perret. Several different chairs of different styles and times arranged at its sides. Hermès presented his Men’s Spring Summer 2020 in this suggestive location where all the monumental modern energy of the place served as the perfect stage.

Since the very first look it was already clear that Véronique Nichanian choose to play with a wonderful research on colours and layers: a large shirt with high collar in cotton poplin with mint and white stripes layered over a simple white shirt, matched with large khaki trousers and a fluid parka in waterproof technical celadon green toile.

Already at her 31 year at the helm of Hermès Menswear, Véronique Nichanian knows how to channel the delicate savoir faire of the iconic French maison where every little detail, every stitch or cut is a mirror to that artisanal know-how and set of values we have known since almost two centuries: not laud, almost whispered aesthetic. But also strong ethic and love for every artisan involved as one big family.

This is Hermès and every step of this maison is imbued of this core values regardless is one of the art projects supported by Fondation Hermès, a fashion show or a store opening.

For Spring Summer 2020 Nichanian choose an easy elegance, a wearability with a touch of joy at times or minimal formalwear at others. This season’s code verged towards the idea of a youthful spirit where versatility and reversible garments are key words.

The choice for the collection of accessories added a strong touch: beautiful sandals with a thick sole and fanny packs also declined in aqua colour. T

he last looks with blouses in heritage silk scarf patchwork at times overdyed channelled further a lively and playful energy.

It felt very fluid, relaxed, nonchalant. And the soft summer breeze at the Mobilier served as the perfect amplifier.

Miu Miu Jockey Club

Each year, Europe’s luxury houses travel in style to a chosen destination for the presentation of their Resort collection. Whereas Prada invited its guests to New York earlier this year, the selection for the sister label Miu Miu fell on the picturesque Hippodrome d’Auteuil race track on the outskirt of Paris.

Fitting to the chosen venue, Miuccia Prada unveils an upbeat collection reminiscent of a day at the races. Aware of the current political situation, Prada confronts conservatism in her designs and presents her personal and playful take of ‘conservative’ occasion wear.

Throughout the collection, fairly straight shapes are shown alongside Forties and Seventies references in form of recurring Chelsea collars, crystal-embroidered pouf-sleeves and high-waisted shorts. Despite many conservative staples, the retro-looking collection gets a distinctly youthful and sporty flair through its accessories. The silhouettes are finished off with clunky platform sneakers and a variety of layered hats, combining classic styles, such as cloches and wide-brimmed sunhats with modern baseball caps.

Fitting for the venue and to underline racing’s tradition as a social occasion, the runway show was completed with a horse race and an exclusive party.

In Conversation with... David LaChapelle

Reflex Gallery in Amsterdam created the series In Conversation With… in order to offer the showcased artists’ another platform to share their personal vision and background information on their work. In the fourth installment, the focus is on photographer David LaChapelle, who is currently exhibiting Act Of Nature at the gallery.

David LaChapelle rose to fame due to his unique vision and distinct aesthetic. Especially thanks to his celebrity portraits, David LaChapelle is considered one of the most important photographers of the century. His third exhibition at Reflex includes highlights from the past ten years alongside a selection of previously unseen work, on show for the first time in Amsterdam.

Throughout the interview, David LaChapelle offers an insight into his approach to photography and discusses how the challenges of a natural setting have influenced his way of working. In his work, LaChapelle tries to capture and share his imagination of paradise and the deep connection between humans and nature that sparked this idea. Alongside the exhibition, a publication of Act of Nature, containing an essay by author and art writer Katya Tylevich, will be available in Reflex Amsterdam.

Tambour Slim Rainbow

Virgil Abloh is a disruptor in the fashion industry and nobody embodies the rise of streetwear quite as he does. As the streetwear trend was slowly taking off, it was designers such as Virgil Abloh that elevated it to the next level, bridging the gap between the established high-end fashion and the newly emerging luxury streetwear.

Streetwear arrived at Louis Vuitton with Abloh’s appointment as new Artistic Director in 2018. As expected, he immediately made his presence felt and injected the French heritage brand with an urban vibe through his different approach to design and references to street art. F

or the new Tambour Slim Rainbow, Abloh references back to leather accessories of the Fall/Winter 2019 collection, translating its aesthetic to the watch. With a fluorescent rainbow X, the dial’s motif perfectly captures the spirit of the leather goods and accessories, also defined by the contrast of bright and fluorescent colors on a black background.

The simple exterior might be deceptive, but this watch is yet another proof of Louis Vuitton’s expert craftsmanship and watchmaking expertise. In meticulous steps, the 42 layers forming the bright X-motif are hand-transferred color by color, a process so time-consuming that it requires the same number of hours than the rest of production.

Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2020

Armani’s influence on men’s style and suiting is as undeniable as it is legendary. After leading tailoring into a more relaxed direction in the 1980s, Mr. Armani once again proves his connection to the contemporary. With his Emporio SS20, Armani infuses traditional tailoring with the recent fluid attitude to dressing and a modern component of athleticism.

The result is a collection defined by the lightness of materials and a fluid, almost feminine silhouette. The almost weightless combination of crinkly materials and brightly colored, cellophane shiny materials is reminiscent of ‘90s athletic attire and underlines the internal dialogue between formal classic patterns and the world of sports.

The athletic spirit of the shows extends itself to the accessories that round of the presentation. Modern cross-body bags, backpacks and belt-wallet hybrids in punchy shades, as well as sneakers, are elevated as fitting finishes for the refined athletic looks envisioned by Armani. The finale of the show was Italian Olympic and Paralympic athletes celebrating Armani’s close relationship with Italian sports, as the official supplier of Team Italy for all Olympic competitions.

Giorgio Armani Spring/Summer 2020

Amongst all the seasons, summer has a special place, after all, it is the most liberating of all the seasons. Giorgio Armani tries to capture this summer spirit with his eponymous SS20 collection. For this occasion, the first time in nearly 20 years, Armani’s mainline menswear show returns to the decade long headquarter at Via Borgonuovo in Brera.

The SS20 collection was built around tailoring, through which Armani has achieved his legendary status. In line with the lightheartedness associated with the hottest season, we see a more relaxed and lighter interpretation of the tailored suits, balancing and harmonizing the world of formal attire with the more sporty one. Nonetheless, the label maintains its sartorial essence, limiting the more elaborate escapades into athleticism to the Emporio line.

The collection is defined by looser silhouettes, fitted around the shoulder but loose around the body. Armani seeks to replace the rigidity of the suit with freedom of movement and comfort, implementing light materials and looser fits. The chosen color scheme is unusually intense for the label, implementing a variety of bright hues in combination with the brand’s staples Armani blue, white and black.

FENDI Resort 2020

In a way, the new Resort 2020 collection represented a turn of the page for the Roman house. After a tenure of almost half a decade, this was the first presentation of FENDI that was not designed under the guidance of Karl Lagerfeld.

Nevertheless FENDI is moving forward, staying true to the DNA that Lagerfeld has established for the house. Silvia Venturini Fendi, who has worked alongside Lagerfeld all her career, seamlessly continues the brand’s celebration of strong femininity.
Inspired by the ‘80s thriller movie Gloria, Silvia Venturini Fendi presents beautifully constructed clothes, defined by softening shapes that radiate a hint of Seventies bourgeois refinement, alongside a hyper femininity highlighted through mannish details of tailoring.

As expected from a house like FENDI, throughout the collection, only exclusive materials are used alongside fine furs, in subtle combination with the houses signatures; the Pequin logo-no-logo stripes, Karligraphy and the traditional FF monogram. To round off their retro-elegant look, FENDI unveils new interpretations of the iconic Peekaboo and Baguette, alongside an archive-inspired tote design and structured chained bag.

A Ferragamo Homecoming

For his first men’s collection, Salvatore Ferragamo’s Creative Director Paul Andrew puts Florence center stage. The city, so synonymous with the house itself, sets the new aesthetic direction, the style code for a new era. Andrew’s vision for Ferragamo is inspired by Florence, at once gloriously ancient with rich traditions and at the same time stunningly modern and forward-looking.

In his new collection, traditional sartorial menswear codes are infused with more modern stylistic elements in order to articulate Andrew’s envisioned multigenerational concept.
With a high-craft and high-tech approach, innovation and quality craftsmanship remain the beating heart of the house, in combination with unconventional and inventive ways of mixing materials and manufacturing.

With a mixture of skins, natural and synthetic fibers, the collection’s broad palette of earth tones and natural shades is contrasted with saturated incursions of candy pink, luminous mint green and deep night. Through his collection, Paul Andrew presents his personal vision of the modern Ferragamo man, who distances himself from inflexible gender norms and takes the freedom to redefine the classics for a new era.

Gem Dior

Since its creation twenty years ago, Victoire de Castellane has continuously been the creative spirit behind Dior Joallerie. The new Dior High Jewellery Collection is therefore not only a celebration of the department's anniversary but also of de Castellane’s successful tenure at its helm.

The collection “Gem Dior”, a play on words between gem in English and j’aime meaning ‘I love…’ in French, is a declaration of love to stones and their infinite variety in hues and colors. These precious colored stones have long nourished de Castellane’s imagination and have been central to Dior’s poetic jewelry-making and whimsical story-telling.

The collection is a celebration of the gemstone as well as the exceptional know-how of its stone-cutters and polishers. Her compositions, harmonic in its color combinations and rhythmic in its shapes and mountings, express Victoire de Castellane’s entire narrative universe, with the realization that in the end what’s left is material and color.

COACH Pre-Spring 2020

No other city in the world has had the same cultural impact than New York City. Constantly evolving, the city has left a mark not only in its eight million inhabitants but every single person around the world. We have all seen countless movies and TV shows taking place in New York and share a certain familiarity with the city.

Vevers unveils his reimagined version of the Coach heritage. Reminiscent of the Nineties, with a Seventies-inspired earthy color palette, the collection shows his personal take on what a vintage piece of Coach might look like. The revisionist picture is merging modern tendencies with their archives, whilst reenergizing the horse-and-carriage emblem. The iconic logo evolves into a pattern, repeating itself throughout the whole collection. The created pattern feels fresh imbued with a distinct old-school feel, playing on notions of heritage and the contemporary craze for brands and logos. www.coach.com

Fashion

Nothing But Pride In #MYCALVINS

We have come a long way concerning LGBTQ+ rights. Despite massive strides over the past decade, discrimination based on sexuality still prevails. CALVIN KLEIN, long a supporter of the LGBTQ+ movement even, reconfirms his beliefs with the CALVIN KLEIN Pride Capsule collection.

In celebration of Pride, the new limited edition capsule collection sees apparel, accessories and underwear shine in the symbolic ultra vivid rainbow colors associated with the LGBTQ+ movement. Various CALVIN KLEIN staples, such as the iconic underwear or the classic trucker jacket are reimagined adorned with rainbow color palette.

Despite recent backlash about a campaign this year, CALVIN KLEIN, still one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly brands, does not falter in his support of the LGBTQ+ community and pledges a donation to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Jet-A-Porter

Summer starts early this year, as Italian retail group Net-A-Porter invites its guests for a getaway in the Greek sun. For three days, designers, models, influencers and friends of the brand alike come together at the Amanzone Resort Villas to celebrate the warmest season in all its facets.

Over three days, Net-A-Porter, in partnership with Zimmerman, Chopard and Sisley-Paris, offered their invitees extraordinary entertainment, tailored exclusively to highlight the spectacular Grecian landscape. In this breathtakingly beautiful setting, it was the guests that stole the show, bringing to life all the aspects of high summer fashion, from essentials for pool or beachside to cocktail attire and partywear.

To complete the looks, Chopard made available a selection of limited-edition jewels, which were worn by some of the guests throughout the week. In addition to this, the guests were invited to the Jet-A-Porter Vacation Shop villa. Here, an exclusive curated collection of high summer essentials, featuring brands such as Zimmerman, Aquazarra and Wandler awaited the guests. This summer,

Furla Flagship Munich

Family-owned Italian accessory label Furla opens a brand-new flagship store in the centre of Munich. With their new boutique in Theaterlinienstraße 33, designed in a modern and elegant fashion, Furla brings a piece of the comemporary Italian lifestyle into the centre of Munich.

This newly minimal and elegant interior, dominated by clear lines, offers the ideal background setting for the brand’s men’s and women’s lines. Some of their more colourful bags become a visual focal point in the otherwise creme and champagne-coloured interior.

Furla embraces the opportunity to offer its customers an improved shopping experience as upscale as its expertly crafted leather goods and accessories. The remodelled store radiates an ambience fit for a 92-year old house, looking back on a tradition of expert craftsmanship, quality and innovative design.

About Future: Architecture, Cities, Environment. Models and Visions

With the creation of Armani/Silos, Giorgio Armani has continuously supported young creatives to realise their visions and ideas. After initiatives in the fields of fashion, cinema and photography, the focus has shifted towards architecture, deemed to be a crucial discipline in our reflections tackling pressing questions of sustainability and social equality in a rapidly changing world.
In the run-up to Milano Arch Week 2019, the ‘About Future’ project is launched in collaboration with the School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Milan. This exhibition features the work, in form of drawings and models, of around 50 of its brightest students, working on new ways and innovative visions to redefine the balance between the artificial and natural. The presented projects are a mixture of proposed modifications or extensions of existing features or the creation of

Art

The cure

Entitled THE CURE (HEAVENLY PIE(A)CES), the new Richard Yasmine collection is an assortment of unconventional, serene yet hypnotizing white on white blended set up. For Yasmine, the concept is always the focus. Conceived as an experimental installation, THE CURE reads as an interpretation of our inner spiritual substance with a deep therapeutic message associated with the notion of time and the philosophy of karma with its idea of renaissance after each failure moment creating an influential emotional charge reflecting forgiveness and self-reconciliation. Yasmine’s collection is made of white powder coated aluminum structures combined with other materials such as brass, neo-cement, suede, Carrara marble and couture handmade embroidery with beads pearls and silk. It includes an armchair, a pendulum clock and a wall mounted lighting fixture. Each piece has a special significance related to the theme, Yasmine explains: “The armchair’s back is in a Headstone silhouette with a message of destiny and regeneration. The pendulum clock corresponds to time and how to catch the moment before it’s too late, yet it shows there is always brightness and hope at the end of the darkness. Third element is a wall-mounted light represented by a halo or an aureole with rays of light in a circular shape symbolizing the majesty or prominence of the soul.”

Carhartt Urban Book Release

When thinking about the expressions of urban youth cultures, cities standing at the forefront of seismic cultural shift, such as New York or London, pop in most people’s heads. Amsterdam is often overlooked, despite being at the forefront of one of the street’s most visible artistic embodiments, graffiti culture. Before the influences from across the Atlantic reached and popularised this visual urban language across Europe, Amsterdam had its own home-grown graffiti culture. Punks, hooligans and other rebellious movements alike, spread their message on the city’s walls. Their styles were as varied as their messages, creating graffiti unlike any others.

In collaboration with Carhartt WIP, FRESHCOTTON releases Amsterdam On Tour by grafiti artist Again, to investigate the early roots of this phenomenon. They focus on the city’s original scene starting from the 70s, lasting until 1985. 30 different artists offer a glimpse into this insane scene, dominated by the fully tagged tunnels, benches and trams, in an unique collection of words and images.

In addition to this publication, Carhartt x FRESHCOTTON also releases a limited edition capsule collection, perfectly capturing the spirit of the scene, available only at selected Carhartt stores and freshcotton.com

Fashion

Travel Transformation

A transformation for one night into an adventures experience.

Montblanc introduced its new travel line. This time in Berlin, the energetic, electric and engaging city, which also happens to be a common destination for travelers. Due to this, it made the perfect fit for the launch of Montblanc’s new travel campaign.

The campaign is all about reconnecting. Reconnecting with the world to set the mark of the brand due to experience by giving guests the opportunity of visiting a cultural spot, which has been shut down for years. The guests were journeyed through a travel tunnel to arrive in the heart of the Metropol, surrounded by projections of a variety of urban destinations. Among the entire travel destination discoveries showed, a central wall sculpture of trolleys was created by Marc Jung that reflected artworks on the Berlin wall, marking the 30 years since its fall.

Montblanc created a new generation of entrepreneurs, trailblazers and urban explorers travelling the world with new Montblanc Nightlight Silver Trolley and the reimagined Extreme 2.0 collection. Created as lifetime companion’s crafted through the skills and quality of the Maison.

To read more about the event and Montblanc's travel collection, go to www.montblanc.com

Fashion

Summer Scents from Louis Vuitton

The maison of Louis Vuitton launches three new scents on April 4th 2019, just in the nick of time for the first burst of summer weather. With a triptych of pop colors and the scent of summer optimism, these eaux de parfums announce and prolong that spirit of summer that is so often tragically fleeting. Conjuring up sizzling patios scattered with cacti, beaches etched in foam and the one-of-a-kind California landscape, it unleashes a sense of freedom and passion notorious of the West Coast. Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud has concocted a formula bodied with airness that lingers on the skin, ensuring that permanence so yearned for on endless summer nights.

The inherent natural properties are brought to the fore, the perfumes consisting of the rarest and rawest of materials. Sun Song’s prominent note is Citron, sealing the following scents together. An olfactive melody of orange blossom, citron and musk evokes rays of sunlight reflected off of the sea surface. Cactus Garden is a frisson of emotion introducing more bitter notes of Calabrian bergamot combined with the traditional mate and lemongrass. This powerful aroma injects a certain energy associated with lounging on the patio, recovering sheltered from the heat. The final scent is Afternoon Swim, an explosion of juice. Rejuvenating and magnetic; the profound mandarin note emits a distinct freshness. The sprinkle of ginger allows it to set sail, then is pulled back again for savoring through the creamy ambergris and orange.

Los Angeles native artist Alex Israel designed the packaging for the respective scents, pairing emblematic artwork with the spirit of the fragrance to appropriately capture each scent.

A New Intimate Approach in Femininity

Miu Miu’s Fall / Winter 2019 collection comprehends an interesting dialogue about the power of images produced through all sorts of new media. The show represents the dynamic creative work of New Zealand born artist, photographer and filmmaker Sharna Osborne. Her work is praised for the beautiful details that are often highlighted. Osborne created a physical space full of imagination and wonderment for this show. She used a personal selection of her work to create an innovative intimate approach to the contemporary standard of femininity.

The intriguing monumental hypostyle hall is filled with a jumbled array of giant prints, short video clips, old TV’s and LED-screens that produce a non linear visual overload of contrasting images and stories. Special and unique is that the installation is intrinsically connected with the collection itself. Both form a storytelling interaction by consisting an arrangement of frames, supports and structures that shape a chaotic and absorbing ensemble of divergent narratives.

The model path unfolds playfully through the hall and brings the installation with the models to life. The catwalk is a confrontational embodiment of images, opinion and language about fashion as an intimate extension to femininity. www.miumiu.com

Fashion

Karl's Winter Wonderland

Snow capped peaks and cosy chalets welcome the CHANEL Fall-Winter Ready-to-Wear collection at the Grand Palais in Paris. This metamorphosis envisioned by the late Karl Lagerfeld with Virginie Viard makes for an romantic, emotional event, fondly and fittingly exhibiting everything about the brand that Karl so loved and fought for.

Radiating elegance and class, the collection is quintessentially CHANEL, silhouettes are accentuated with both the masculine and feminine cuts in a palette of clean winter whites, beige, navy blue and black, the perfect foundational coat for the flashes of emerald, purple, brick reds and fuchsia.

Tweed fedoras are dusted with snowflakes, paired with tartan, houndstooth and big check motifs. Tweed is certainly a core fabric this collection, both top stitched and quilted, asserting its masculinity with high-waisted wide-cut trousers and layered with great enveloping mini capes and overcoats that warmly wrap the silhouette in a blanket like fashion. All motifs and small touches evoke the theme and setting. Soft knit pullovers and sweaters are detailed with crystals and maxi pockets that create a trompe-l’oeil effect.

Although confident and crisp, there is a distinct softness to the collection. White pearl earrings and knitted scarves in embroidered chiffon are just some of the details that emanate an air of sophistication. The feminine of course is unavoidable with floaty maxi volumes in Claudine collars and delicate shirts. Snowball skirts and chiffon feathers bring in a sense of modernity and youth.

Rick Owen's Women's Fall 2019/20

It has been exactly 2 years, when backstage after his Fall 2017 show Rick Owens mentioned how he was tired of being a downer, wanting to be more optimistic celebrating humanity and life.

Rick Owens is certainly the real living high priest of fashion who true to his words continues to surprise us. For next Fall Owens led us to an incredible dose of sexiness and glam we have never seen before: alluring bodysuits and short dresses twisted and knotted with long floor-swiping trails nodding to Hollywood gala. Some featuring the famous Fortuny prints.

Matched with tailored blazers and coats with sculptural shoulders once again recalling – following Menswear 2019 – his hero, American designer Larry LeGaspi, who dressed the likes of Grace Jones, and the likes of legendary rock bands Kiss, Labelle, Divine in the 70s. Adolescent Rick Owens was deeply fascinated by the avant-garde gender-blurring LeGaspi’s work and later this year we will see a monograph about the designer authored by Owens.

But there is another source of inspiration in the collection, another legendary American designer who later that evening after the show was celebrated at Joyce Gallery at the Jardin du Palais Royal with a small exhibition and the launch of a book with preface of Rick Owens himself: Charles James.

James lived in the legendary Chelsea Hotel and was a master in building a sculptural shape for evening dresses but also was interested in developing new shapes. In one of the archive pictures shown at the gallery we see a young Pat Cleeveland wearing a pair of shorts he creates in 38 and decades later developed into leather.

A series of reversed blazers with silver cowhide or nylon puffer are certainly playing references between James and LeGaspi.

Owens staged a spectacular collection. And the alien-like make up by prodigy Instagram talent Salvia - an ode to body modification - was the perfect element to further take ours breath away.

Illuminated Forms

“It was the night /A giant saved me / Changed me into a love machine / I can’t take this hell, i a not your prisoner / i was a love machine /soft and hard”
SebastiAN’s original track created for Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent Fall 2019 channels the spirit of the collection: the 80s nightlife, the enchanting Betty Catroux, Bianca Jagger (monsieur Yves Saint Laurent’s own muses), the time when the clubs were the place where designers, artists, socialites and most of the creative crowd would meet.

Anthony Vaccarello presented a strong vision for Saint Laurent gradually evolved season after season into an enchanting identity celebrating the Maison’s historical codes and imbued of Vaccarello’s own signature.
The first looks already set the mood: long wool coats, dazzling tuxedo blazer with boxy sculptural shoulders, beautifully tailored.
Anthony Vaccarello calls it the “couture blazer”. And it channels that famous masculine look Monsieur Yves himself merged in the Woman’s wardrobe.

But the collection also featured the vertiginously short minidresses Vaccarello is known for in the last looks that stormed in the catwalk as a totally different happening hinting the most deepest night ahead: fluorescents with matching shoes. Looking at their silhouette you can see a reinterpretation of some lines from the iconic 1971 collection by Yves Saint Laurent, clearly addressed by Vaccarello who has been constantly researching the archives.
The light installation inside the venue between Matrix and the Tour Eiffel light spectacle – the latter usually accompanying the show during summer time – was a magnificent set for a magnificent collection.

A Darker Side of Prada

This time at the grand hall of the Deposito, Prada unveiled to us its darker side. The Fall / Winter 2019 collection seems to take inspiration from the fantastical. Boxier forms and heavy tops feature, a look that combined with the plaited hair cannot help but remind us of the precocious Wednesday Addams. Crimson red makes its expected appearance throughout both in accessories and in the garments themselves.

Prada does however stay true to its roots with some staple pieces, the women's décolletage flattered in a wonderfully tasteful and feminine fashion, the dresses sensually slimming down the form, creating silhouettes that are ultra feminine. The former looks however, are a stark polar opposite - much preppier and defiant.

The Exploration of Masculinity and Femininity

Contrasts between two feelings, embodiments and extremes: masculinity and femininity is what this collection expresses. Lucie and Luke Meier explore the relational meeting of two extremes in order to arrive at harmony in the Jil Sander Fall / Winter Women's 2019 collection.

The feminine silhouette is expressed in softy formed knits with crocheted corsets, bustier dresses, and light silk and satin jackets. The male contrast is added by pure, sharp sculptural 3D shapes and geometric dresses and coats of generous volumes that seem to float lightly. The constructions in this collection are the main part of the aesthetic and contain wavy, dimensional structures. The finishes are sensitive and contain splits and stratifications.

Prints are characterized by birds, herons and swallows printed on the front or back of woven shirts or suede jackets. There is a clear balance between slimness and volume. The comfort can be found in soft pathways. The search for the harmony between masculinity and femininity is interspersed with a color palette of black, white and soft natural colors against bright colors.

Accessories are smooth and emphasize the relational contrasts. Shapes are broken, stretched and folded into indefinable corners. Shoes are delicate and executed in soft and hard silhouettes. Special are the leather socks and thin soles that give the feeling of primitiveness.

Movement and Color

What was once familiar is now unrecognisable. Coach’s house signature has been playfully dismantled and reassembled, rendering the familiar now unfamiliar, all courtesy of Coach’s creative director Stuart Vevers who premiered his Fall 2019 Men and Women’s collection at the American Stock Exchange in New York City.

A joyful collection, handmade from artisanal fabrics and quilts that are juxtaposed with bold and enhanced outerwear, offers a heightened sense of color, nature and emotion. Painting with both light and dark colours and all psychedelic prints in between, a mash-up between freedom and defiance unravels.

Movement and distortion are also key, kaleidoscopic print dresses cascade down the form gently trailing behind. Kaffe Fassett’s floral work stamps the collection, as do oceanic shades that instills a vibe of prismatic optimism.

High Octane Chic

Michael Kors, NY Fashion week Fall/Winter 2019

Cipriani Wall Street transformed for a moment into an old-school ballroom complete with herringbone floors, velvet curtains, disco balls and chandeliers and to finish the ambiance, traditional Studio 54 capsule designs were added. This collection was a real-time romantic dream that celebrated glamorous individual style. With Barry Manilow singing live ‘Copacabana’, better called the successor to Frank Sinatra, the show was a real flashback to one of the most sophisticated era’s of all time.

“The city was edgy and gritty but underneath it all there was energy, imagination and a sense of total freedom. It’s when the rules disappeared and a new kind of glamour emerged.”

Michael Kors reflected back on his first arrival in New York in 1977. It was a time of unprecedented possibilities that he wanted to seize again in this collection. If you do that, there is only one option; collaborate with the most famous nightclub of the 70’s and 80’s: Studio 54! The logo, the glitters and the distinctive characters of that time have been translated by Kors into surprising contemporary items. Here, Kors experienced the mix of style, energy and glamour on an entirely different level, which influenced him forever.

His collection is an ode to this magical time. That is why the collection does not contain any fashion rules or dress codes. The collection is about expressing your inner own extraordinary personality. Iconic supermodel and old muse Patti Hansen closed the show and is the ultimate embodiment of this approach.

The Saddlebag is back

True house icon, and ultimate symbol of Dior’s unique and long-established mastery in crafts. Creative director Kim Jones reinterpreted Dior its iconic saddlebag into a fantastic new modern version for the summer 2019 collection. The design came up for the first time almost 20 years ago in 2000 in the Women’s Spring-Summer 2000 ready-to-wear show. Its saddle-shaped form can be promptly recognised. Jones added a Jacquard strap featuring the inscription “Christian Dior”. The bag is finished with a raw industrial- inspired buckle specially developed for this occasion by designer Matthew Williams. This typical adornment is created in Florence, Italy and reflects the finesse of the house’s leather goods.

Soggettiva 4 - Expressway Milano

Fondazione Prada’s Cinema presents the fourth chapter of the series “Soggettiva” with the title Expressway Milano made by Danish director Nicolas Winding. This chapter is a “cinematic journey into the rare and unknown” screening 13 forgotten American 1960’s/1970’s films from the online archive by Nicolas Winding Refn.

The oeuvre contains several genres from drive-in movies to lost avant-garde cinema, horror and gothic fantasy films to musicals, "nudie cutie" movies to religious and propaganda cinema. All are divided into 4 volumes: Volume 1 “Regional Renegades” constitutes: The Nest of The Cuckoo Birds (1965) by Bert Williams, Hot Thrills and Warm Chills (1967) by Dale Berry and Shanty Tramp (1967) by Joseph P. Mawra.

On Friday 22 February 2019 the Fondazione Prada’s Cinema stages “Soggetiva Nicolas Winding Refn” and holds a special conversation between Nicolas Winding, Jimmy McDonough (Managing editor), David Frost (director of BUREAU) and film critic Manlio Gomarasca about Nicolas Winding Refn’s new adventure known as ’NWR’. This revolutionary online archive in form of a platform was presented in 2018 and developed in collaboration with London-based agency BUREAU.

"What we've created is not a film, TV, fashion, photography, lifestyle or political site. It's an installation, an online museum inclusive of everything. There's a movie presented each month, but that film is merely the jumping off point. It's the seed to inspire creativity, provoke a state of mind. The result isn't easy to explain in a soundbite, you have to experience it. byNWR comes with a mystery attached".

All the public screenings of "Soggettiva Nicolas Winding Refn," are taking place at Fondazione Prada’s Cinema on Fridays from 1 March to 24 May 2019, and will be free, but are only accessible on reservation.

The Sophisticated Unconformist

Unconformist, powerful and assertive, this Spring/Summer 2019 capsule from COS is catered for the sharp, sophisticated working professional seeking to build upon a staple wardrobe, channelling creativity and unapologetically making a statement in the process.

The sculptor’s hand is palpably discernible, the garments clearly envisioned with the wearer’s form in mind, regarding the body as the crucial central canvas to be built around. Conceived of in three dimensions, the pieces caressingly float and fit the shape of the wearer. We see this thematic pattern replicated in the absence of busy, fussy decorations, rendering the collection a stark, simplistic, modest and unostentatious slate, nonetheless creative and unconformist in attitude.

An understated, unaffected, minimal palette of clean whites, strong blacks and varying blues is realised to its fullest potential, a direct result of Anna’s propensity to resist high frequency turnover trends and to reject external logos, prints or patterns. Peter Saville contributes the only patterned item; a limited edition silk scarf incorporating graphic prints. In this manner, the collection is fit for studio work, formal meetings, after parties and can be maintained for a lifetime.

Sacai Fall 2019 Menswear / Pre-Sacai Fall 2019 Menswear

When the morning of the yellow vest protests we all tried to arrive on time for Sacai held at the Grand Palais, Paris seemed a ghost city, lost in space and time. With the Grand Palais in the middle of the restricted area and dozens of police’s special forces at every single corner surrounding the area it was surreal. In 2 hours the people fighting for their future would march those streets.

Feeling blessed to have succeeded to arrive on time at the show after several attempt to enter the area, as we saw this beautiful collection full of all Sacai’s signature traits playing with the construction of silhouettes and juxtaposition of materials: the deconstructed pleated asymmetrical skirts, performance fabrics hybridizing formal garments, coats where the liner becomes a pumped up outer layer, a sweater traditionally worn under a jacket instead becomes its outer shell.

Chitose Abe mentioned a “cultural melting pot”, in her show notes and the importance of feeling “the freedom to be different, to be an individual”. Symbolized by the iconic London’s Bar Italia collaboration for t-shits and hoodies, where Abe spent time as student.

Thom Browne Fall 2019 Mens

Thom Browne is a master in staging a theatrical spectacle with several acts and characters playing. Last Womenswear show was a tale of sea creatures. For Fall 2019 Menswear it is the Bubble Wrap Odyssey.

With a set composed by 36 bubble wrap stands along the runway the first 8 looks were completely composed by bubble wrap gloves and dresses. Thom Browne’ playful overture anticipated the main acts: a Menswear collection designed by researching the essence od Womenswear codes: corsets, jackets draped and juxtaposed to create trompe l’oeil dresses. Looks were declined in two perfectly identical version, pant and skirt matching different tartan coats, all wearing Mary Jane.

It was a beautiful show imbued with Thom Browne’s signature poetic and definitely a collection we would love to own, regardless of gender.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2019 Mens

When the day before the show we all found a white sparkly sequined glove as show invitation it was clear Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton second collection was going to recall his hero and inspiration through childhood: the iconic character who become a worldwide legend and still is after his sudden death 10 years ago, Michael Jackson.

When entering the show venue in the Tuileries gardens we saw a complete set as out from “Billie Jean” video: a New York sidewalk imbued with the atmosphere from those years when the King of Pop was at the peak of its growing fame. As the show started an original soundtrack, “You Know What’s Good” composed by Devonté Hynes aka BLOOD ORANGE was performed life along with his musicians. It was an intimate moment more than a loud one. It collected all Virgil’s sentiments: the unity for humanity he advocate, the extraordinary Michael Jackson coming of age sentiments, and all that Abloh’s own childhood inspirations as young boy.

Amidst this slice of life moment when the models walked artist Futura performed a live graffiti. Some of the guests were seated as if they were part of the stage, just on a sidewalk as if it was an ordinary evening.

And there it came, the Abloh of new modern clothing codes (carefully explained in his “Vocabulary” as show notes): suits layered in stone and pearl heather grey wool gradation with fluid wide trousers, the puffa over them, the camel outfits with padded details, the declination of flags in the last looks, the very gender neutral elements like the floor swiping plissé wrap skirt. But also of course more direct references to Jackson’ wardrobe: the sequined tour bomber, the gloves, the silk pyjama that model Alton Mason worn and turned into a performing costume for his continuous back-flips on the catwalk.

There are so many layers around Abloh aesthetic that we can’t wait to discover as part of the new Vuitton’s heritage for the years to come.

Dior Homme Fall 2019

Inside the monolithic black temporary structure built at Plateau Joffre stands a 76 meter long moving walkway where models stood still. Kim Jones is sure to have a particular sense of spectacle: he created a wow-effect by a simple gesture where his new collection was carried monumentally, stripping back the stage and downsizing it compared to his previous Tokyo show.

The heritage of Dior together with the contemporary and experimental Jones’ attitude produced an elegant and smart collection with tailoring declined in couture techniques and materials.

A Mona Lisa reinterpretation and other pen work by American artists Raymond Pettibon infused across the collection giving a strong graphic spirit. Pettibon was always a strong influence since Kim Jones’s teenage years.

What strikes is the silk stole applied around a pinstripe suit or along a cashmere coat extending till the floor. It is so subtle but so showstopper.

Kim Jones created a new masculine attitude at Dior Homme taking also elements dear to Monsieur Dior like his 1947 panther print, reinvented in this collection alongside other animalier gestures that extend to scarves, jackets and sweaters. Kim Jones stays true to his own language: jackets have removable leather sleeves , hybrid garments, nylon mirroring silk and accessories composing a whole with the entire collection. The saddle bag is reinvented once again and worn cross body on the tailleur oblique. The high craftsmanship and elegance of Dior fuse with the techno fascinations of Kim Jones vision.

"To The Moon"

Keeping with this theme, interdisciplinary fashion icon Esther Perbandt presented an installation of her new collection “To The Moon” during Berlin Fashion Week and introduced her limited partnership with Feminista - the first political perfume. The showcase also serves as a celebration of Perbandt's 15 years in the industry. With “To The Moon”, a tale as old as time re-imagined anew, she complements the almost stern and deconstructed collection with beautiful organic, harmonious shapes, made from manipulated and molded leather. Futuristic technology, such as 3D printing and CNC milling, meets traditional leather craft processes, resulting in shapes that are inspired by the feeling that one could indeed fly to the moon.

90's Nostalgia

Marina Hoermanseder is another designer who sparks joy with her creations and brings a sense of humor to her work. Here FW19 show took us back to the days of glorious sitcoms like ‘Married with Children’ and ‘The Nanny’ as well as iconic Tonya Harding costumes with just a hint of ‘The Dukes of Hazard’.

The designer lays the 90s elements on thick as evidenced by the collection's first look already: purple cycling shorts, a modification of her strap skirt and a neon-colored, short sweatshirt. Strong country influences counteract the over-the-top nostalgia: Western buckles can be found on the typical strap skirt, sheriff stars are there as emblems and cowboy boots and hats finish the look. All this is an empowering spectacle and nod to strong, at times grossly underestimated, female characters that have shaped todays Gen Z, Hoermanseder's loyal followers.

In Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2019 Menswear line, Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini pay homage to the classicism of Italian street style, drawing influences from more modish urbanwear and employing traditional tailoring in a contemporary fashion. The collection is a full demonstration of Lagerfeld’s hand and encyclopedic knowledge of menswear, seeping with clean and timeless style.

Fendi achieves the fine balance between venerating the distinctive staples of the brand whilst subverting the notion that tailoring is characterised by clean cut, stark symmetry. Beautifully fabricated sleek a-line jackets with sharp shoulder cuts, flared trousers softly secured around the waist, leathers and furs feature are all expected features however the bags and accessories are perhaps the most notable feature in the collection, creatively devised and expertly crafted.

The dynamism of featuring asymmetrical half-half jackets and overlayers reminds us that this formula is available for adaption. The integration of bold, intrepid urban staples such as oversized anoraks and quilted puffer jackets stitched with colourful inner linings excite the collection with a freshness that never oversteps into the core essence of Fendi.

The collection loyally adheres to palettes of sharp blacks, metallic sheens and classic neutrals focussing on rich chocolates, nutty browns and creamy whites. The occasional dash of bold reds, yellows and oranges seen in the sleek footwear trimmings is a clever, understated touch that adds a subtle flair of zest and contemporary edge to the collection.

Posthumous Exhibition in London and Paris Celebrating the Life and Work of Franz West

Franz West is widely known and revered for his 40-year career that features notable highlights such as his series of Adaptives in the 1970s, his Lemur-Heads scattered around Vienna as well as his use of unconventional materials in building furniture and his famously colourful work with paper mache.

Franz’s work requires us to take his hand and accept his invitation to actively engage with the art. For Franz, the meaning is not some ungraspable, floating figment in the ether. Rather the meaning is what we decide to grant to it and is the various experiences that are evoked upon our direct, personal interaction with the given piece. It is precisely this mirroring of the external that makes Franz’s work so inclusionary and what absolves him from any dangerous accusations of elitism or pretention. We are the essential, necessary final piece of the puzzle. Our realisations, our relationship and our connection with the pieces are paramount and take priority focus – how we respond, what we evoke, what we discover.

Franz is renowned for his light-hearted, open, playful and at times humorous quality paired with an underlying deeply introspective and subtly philosophical approach, driven largely by an understanding and respect of the free man to enjoy leisure and not always be so as Franz himself put it ‘deadly earnest.’

Vivacious, vibrant and interactive, this exhibition invites us to celebrate the extraordinary life and lively work of Franz West – to touch, to wear, to handle and to open yourself up to a rare and inclusionary experience of art as you have never had before.

The multi-faceted Austrian artist Franz West’s life and work (1947-2012) is posthumously celebrated as part of a major exhibition taking place at The Tate Modern, London and the Centre Pompidou, Paris from the 20th February to the 2nd June 2019.

Giorgio Armani x SANG WOO KIM

Artist first, model second, Sang Woo Kim has collaborated with Giorgio Armani on a special digital project — to creatively interpret FW18 from behind the scenes.

Born in Seoul, raised in London, Kim studied in and dropped out of London’s finest schools. Fine art is his first love, where his instinct began to drive his inspiration. Sang Woo translates literally to: each other, helping. While discovering his own identity through art Kim’s confidence sky-rocketed as his peers began to dress and shoot him for their personal projects — as a result of helping others, he found himself.

Through this collaboration, I wanted to capture and transmit with my photos this shared feeling of romance, masculine sensitivity, and elegance, and in a completely uncontrived way; thus staying true to the vision of Mr. Armani.

With the decadent, stark and supreme Armani/Teatro space as his stage, Kim gently opens the curtain on the wonderful world beyond. Marvelous boots, stunning mitts, and cheekbones galore Kim’s contemporary flair fills the pages with a human vulnerability so vivid and honest — successfully curating the theatre of Giorgio Armani with his artistry and vision.

Rick Owens Spring Summer 2019

A humongous burning pyre in the shape as a conic towers standing in the middle of miroir de l’eau of Palais de Tokyo. Rick Owens Spring Summer 2019 felt beautifully unsettling. It was inspired by the biblical Babel Tower and the architectural Tallin’s tower as mentioned in the show notes. Architectural as the clothes envisioned by the designer with intricate layered structures that at times seemed as out of Russian constructivism illustration.

Draped, twisted, tore. This is Rick Owens in its purest form. The intrinsically constructed cut-out leather dresses and capes together with more fluid signature’s pieces carefully composed the images of a procession in name of – as Owens addressed himself – a better world in spite of the dark times. Some of the models carried torches: high priestess, but also soldiers with a menacing armoire and fragile new adepts. It is the ceremony-like ritual that bonds together societies according his words during FW2017 show. Also this season it all felt into place. Owens’ dark vision nevertheless felt beautifully auspicious amongst the sea of current uninspiring fashion gestures.

Y/Project Spring 2019

It is rare to see designers who have the guts to challenge their comfort zone as much as Glenn Martens has constantly been doing. For Y/Project Spring 2019 the Belgian designer went one step further.

Deconstructed and juxtaposed pieces gave space to new sophisticated silhouettes: the pants merged with long skirts at its back, mimicking the motion of a fluid skirt in a frontal wind blowing motion when the fabric adheres to the legs. The imaginative power of Glenn Martens is superb and definitely this is one of his most ambitious collection showing us a deep knowledge not only in staying true to his poetic but also in cut and costume history.

Cable knit skirt with a deep V waist line, oversized sweatshirts with an incorporated bra, tulle overlaying garments like skirts, dresses and coats. But it’s in the surprising glamour of the finale that the audience was literally taken into awe: a fluid silk satin dress, a suit with its blazer cut on the shoulder line all adorned with contrasting feathers in tulle reminiscent of a dramatic '30s Marlene Dietrich boa.

Introducing BMW's iNext

Touch entry, touch seating, touch steering, lights on lights, touch on touch, screens on screens. This is the automobile of the future. Your favorite place on wheels - BMW’s Vision iNext - is a dramatic, awe-inspiring SAV (Sports activity vehicle), synonymous with pioneering spirit built to deconstruct dogmas. The iNext is a divisive innovation that reaches further than expectations can begin to fathom.

To cast an eye upon BMW’s latest creation will only begin to scratch the surface. However, this is the best place to start. The meticulous exterior harmonizes precision design. Every single line is conscious and purposeful. The wheels look as though they have escaped from Area 51 at their own free will, while the interlinked double-kidney grille evokes authority through clearly sculpted form and surfaces. Even the paintwork traveled back in time, the Liquid Greyrose Copper exterior changes in shade and humidity injecting the vehicle with a charismatic flair.

A gentle swipe, where one would imagine a handle to exist, triggers a crisp opening. The world beyond beckons. Every object is designed as if it were a single piece of furniture, reminiscent of your living room. For BMW’s vision, the question was, how to gain time to live. The result is an utterly human car, released from everything. The evocative nude tones marry seamlessly with warm green turquoise micro-fiber, lined with purple jacquard, a traditional method that finds itself a place in the new world.

The grace and splendor of the iNext alone are astounding, yet there is more. Shy technology. Shy tech abolishes physical controls from the entire cabin and replaces them with a gesture control system that is both intuitive and natural. The simple task of outlining a music symbol on the fabric of the rear seat allows passengers to take control of the vehicles audio, yet another step toward an autonomous future.

The iNext will not be an entirely autonomous automobile and will instead promise two driving modes, Boost and Ease. Boost is the human interaction and Ease being the control of the vehicle itself. For now, the real-world driving experience is thin on the ground. Clearly, the truth that we can’t predict the future will not stop us from trying.

Diesel x Mustafa Capsule Collection

Diesel have their tongue firmly lodged in their cheek for their new collaboration. A campaign that sees the Italian Denim Brand propose that the coolest brands are found in the coolest places. A proposition that has landed them in the diverse metropolis of Berlin to collaborate with “the only true artist in berlin”, Mustafa.

Mustafa’s Gemuse Kebap to be exact. Known quite simply as the best kebap in the world. With a minimum wait of 20 minutes Mustafa’s kebap has a collosal reputation one that quite literally busts the block. Diesel is not without their own reputation of course. Collaborating with a kebap stand despite its iconic stature in pop culture defies normality. This is the game.

Graphics combining the logo of both esteemed brands adorn the T-shirts, sweatshirts and caps that complete the 14-piece capsule collection availavle in Europe, China and the USA.

Highlights from New York Fashion Week

Escada Spring 2019

The quiet presence of Escade erupted at the Park Avenue Armory. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the German women’s-wear brand, new creative director Niall Sloan looked to ignite the new corporate power women with loud jockey inspired color blocking.

Tom Ford Spring 2019

Tom Ford used New York Fashion week to return to his classical past, a class that oozes sex appeal, sensuality and luxury. The Tom Ford Spring 2019 collection maintains a strict palette of black, white, gray and nudes drawing from the sensual warmth of humanity we so often crave.

REFLECTIONS: dunhill FW18 Campaign

Life is made of details, those little gestures that day by day build up our personality. For dunhill, accessories function exactly to define a precise sense of uniqueness, which in turns comes out from a variety of multifaceted aspects that literally mirrors the brand's DNA. This is the philosophy unveiling the British tailoring label's Autumn Winter 2018 campaign — the second season under new creative director Mark Weston — centering around the visual metaphor of "reflections".

Elegantly shot by photographer Jack Webb in the streets and through the glass fronted buildings of Mayfair in London, the pictures present the firm beauty of model Clement Chabernaud. Layered outerwear pieces and traditional cashmere coats nonchalantly speak for British masculine elegance, while leather goods underline the always contemporary yet timeless language of the brand.

FAMILY PORTRAIT: Kim Kardashian with her mother and daughter in FENDI campaign

In the year of the 10th anniversary of the launch of the iconic Peekaboo bag, Italian fashion house FENDI invited American reality-star Kim Kardashian, her mother Chris Jenner and 5 years old North West to take part in new campaing. Shooting took place in sunny Los Angeles. The main theme of campaign — family values and women with a bright personality.

Following the first chapter, a video and image campaign featuring Silvia Venturini Fendi, FENDI Creative Director for Accessories, Menswear and Kidswear and her daughters Delfina Delettrez Fendi and Leonetta Luciano Fendi, this one now focuses on five international couples of women. This time Italian famous brand decided to show the family portrait of the Kardashian clan.

Louis Vuitton x FIFA World Cup 2018 Collection

French multinational luxury brand Louis Vuitton announced about holding an auction on July 12 at charity gala dinner.

The event has been organized by Russian famous supermodel Natalia Vodianova and music producer Yana Rudkovskaya. It is a part of the Year of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018. It will be supported by Qatar Tourism Authority and Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy 2022, in aid of Naked Heart Foundation, helping children with special needs.

Each of the 13 match balls inside this remarkable Louis Vuitton trunk, redited by adidas, will be singned by former FIFA World Cup winners of 1970 to 2018 editions.

FENDI x RIMOWA

LVMH iconic brands Fendi and Rimowa renovate their partnership, introducing two new versions in blue and red for their one-of-a-kind cabin trolley.

Honouring the companies pioneering heritage as well as celebrating the completely new Rimowa visual identity, the very modern suitcase stands out for a sophisticated design and materials.

On the one hand the aluminum equipped with an innovative Multi-wheel system and the individually adjustable Flex-Divider system confirm the modern language of Rimowa, On the other hand, the use of Cuoio Romano leather and the elegant neoprene lining with a black-on-black embossed “FF” logo thoroughly glorify the timelessness of Fendi.

The cabin trolley is available in selected FENDI and RIMOWA stores, on fendi.com and rimowa.com as of June 18, 2018.

For the accessories, the iconic Peekaboo X-Lite bag, as well as bucket hats, crossbody puches and hi-tech running sandals follow and fluidly communicate a strong functionalism and confidence with Rome’s inner spirit.

CamperLab's New Store in London

Established in the Shoreditch district of London’s East End, CamperLab has opened a brand new store. A true minimalistic, modern store with an urban vibe. Different from the traditional Camper stores worldwide, the store has a more contemporary, advanced and futuristic feel.

Collaborating with different designers such as Eckhaus Latta and Kiko Kostadinov, the shoes are taking bold steps forward in their urban designs, looking glamorous and raw at the same time, while staying true to its underground aesthetic.

Giorgio Armani to celebrate the opening of the new Giorgio Armani and Armani/Casa boutique in London with a private "Giorgio's" pop-up club at Tramp

A private Giorgio Armani trunk show hold at Giorgio Armani boutique in London inaugurates the opening of Giorgio Armani and Armani Casa boutiques in prestigious Sloane Street, London.

The renovated space of 1000 square meters that hosts the two adjacent boutiques features 5 display windows that introduce to a totally new concept, which was curated by Giorgio Armani and his team of architects.

Mirroring the refined sense of distinctive, minimal elegance characteristic of the Maison, the boutiques focus on the extensive use of space. As well, a light and clean distribution of lights and linear shapes meticulously highlights the balance between rigour and refined luxury.

To best celebrate the event, the trunk show has been followed by “Giorgio’s” pop-up club at Tramp Nightclub, which for the first time bring the private members night out of the Armani/Privet nightclub in Milan, including De La Soul’s live performances and DJ Harvey DJ set.

Music

The Smashing Pumpkins announce their "Shiny And Oh So Bright" Tour

Formed in Chicago 1988, The Smashing Pumpkins have marked a chapter for the history of alternative rock.

They released their debut album Gish in 1991, reaching mainstream success later on in 1993 and 1995 with respectively 4x multi-platinum Siamese Dream and 10x multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

Overtime, they gained worldwide attention as well as influenced several groups for a very distinctive sound, exploring the more diverse genres and music styles, such as heavy metal, progressive rock, psychedelic rock and more recently electronica.

After several changes in their line up and 30 years later, the band has announced their “Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour”, which will be the first in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin and James Iha, including also guitarist Jeff Schroeder.

Produced by Live Nation, the tour will feature material from their debut trough 2000 and kick off in Glendale, AZ on July 12, 2018 and North American arenas throughout the season.

At ZOO we wished it was already “Tonight, Tonight “, yet we’ll make a count down because we can’t wait for seeing them live this summer!

There is no need to say that Christian Louboutin knows exactly what glamorous women want: to shine as stars do.

For this summer and as a gift to fashion lovers, the iconic designer introduces a very sparkling collection of high-shine lip glosses.

Loubimirior is a glassy vinyl presenting a very slick finish. Enriched with Vitamin E and shea butter to improve idratation and reducing fine lines on lips, this glossy lacquer intensifies lips’ fullness and natural beauty, as well as it can be layered over any Lip Colour for a bold effect.

With its irresistible color-changing effect, the Loubilaque Lip Gloss is available in four different shades featuring a metallic finish on lips, which is highlighted by irridescent glitters and pigment pearls.

Yet Louboutin takes the gloss formulas to the highest level thanks to an attentive focus on the teardrop applicator’s precision and functionality for both the versions, which are additionally enriched with a delicate feminine scent.

As if they were jewels reminiscent of Art Deco movement, the lipstick cases’ design represents one-of-a-kind treasure to wear as a pendant. Indeed, the vial is carved with a marmaid tail pattern and enclosed with a turret-like crown, which is in turn threaded with a delicate silk ribbon.

Loubimirior and Lubilaque lip glosses set up the make-up rules for the upcoming season, irradiating summer days with their brightly feminine and super seducing features.

Fashion

Highlights from Paris Fashion Week

Berlin 80s underground scene is the leading mood for Clare Weight Keller at Givenchy, whose collection takes inspiration from cult movies such as The Hunger and the documentary B Movie: Lost and Sound in West-Berlin, 1979-1989.
Several faux furs, leather jackets and psychedelic prints dominate the collection, which unveils asymmetrical cuts and laboured fabrics elaborating an effectively sophisticated youth couture.

In Alexander McQueen’s show, models of various ages tell a new narrative for Sarah Burton. As when caterpillar become butterflies, similarly this collection speaks of a powerful metamorphosis. The designer’s tailoring heritage reaches the next level, presenting precious details such as insect and wing decorations on transparent dresses. Structured shoulders and bustiers are in balance with more rounded, almost romantic ruffles, as well as subtle silk fringing on a opulent evening dress enhance the idea of a fluid movement and distinctive femininity.

Literally overwhelmed by natural world, Karl Lagerfeld unveils a collection in-between Eighties moods and forest references. On the one hand multicolor or black and white leaves prints, oxidised gold leather details, iconic tweed looks and vintage outlines would suggest a classy yet totally wearable proposal. On the other hand there is an interesting presence of flowing billow-sleeves over ultra lean coats or on elegant evening dresses in lace, which adding romantic feel to the overall collection.

Regardless of the Sixties references of the collection, Miu Miu establish a “kind of alphabetical system, a language for expressing and defining oneself”. With Elle Flanning opening and closing the show, Miuccia Prada presents several versions of vintage oversized jackets and coats, mohair sweaters, mini-skirts, tweeds and iconic bobby socks, which recall the girlish brand’s youthful signature alternating flaming and playful pastel colors.

Women and their right are more and more at the centre of social debate. Therefore interpreting femininity is the main theme at Louis Vuitton for Fall 2018. With a collection that somehow renovate classic elements of 19th century military uniforms and turn them into skirt-suits, shearling jackets and peplum tops, Nicolas Ghesquiere’s contemporary approach to fashion unveils a very sophisticated notion of elegance.

Fashion

The future starts now - Moncler Genius

Creativity is our energy, multiplicity is our strength. Truthfulness is our credo. Change is what drives us forward. Moncler is continuing to explore the surrounding spirit of its uniqueness. The future starts now.”

On the 20th of February and with a powerful manifesto, new forms of expression for iconic duvet brand have been announced. Conceived by Remo Ruffini, Moncler Genius is the result of a consistent work of research culminating in different languages that narrate only one identity.

Using the jacket as a starting point, fragmentation becomes the main concept and guideline. Eight projects turn the product in an object and communication mean, strongly oriented to functionality and newness.

The new Moncler building hosts several areas identified by a number, each of them dedicated to a single project (which will be realised monthly) interrelating with others and interpreting the singularity of Moncler consumers.

Starting from 1 Moncler Pierpaolo Piccioli that focuses on purity of forms, Moncler 1952 instead pays tribute to the brand’s year of birth, adopting a curatorial approach.

The journey into the exhibtion-like space continues with Monocle Grenoble focusing on prints and fabrics, Moncler Simone Rocha on deconstruction, Moncler Craig Green on the dialogue between clothing and the body, Noir Kei Nimomiya on wereable geometries, Fragment Hiroshi Fujiwara on reinforcing the duvet cult-status and eventually Palm Angels working on logos and slogans.

With Moncler Genius, a new and really clever direction for the company has been set up, extraordinarily combining those diverse medium that celebrate imagination and uniqueness.

Fashion

Una Giacca – Armani/Silos

For the first edition of Armani/Laboratorio, a competition launched on the 31st August 2017, a short movie entitled Una Giacca (A Jacket) has been released by film students that took part of the project held in Milan from 27th November to 6th December last year.

The short movie is a narration set in-between past and present. In a black and white square scenario, a job interview takes place and a girl is asked to describe a jacket. Afterwards, the examiner goes with the flow of colorful memories back on the day of her very first interview, centring on those little stereotypes and pure, innocent feel of uncertainty that marked the beginning of her professional life.

The jacket, which is a key element in Armani aesthetics, is here turned in a real challenge for the students and an occasion to support the next generation of young talents.

“I’m really proud of this project and of it’s outcome, and I hope it will be the first of a long series of works, because cinema has always been my passion” as Giorgio Armani stated, making a step forward in the progressive bond between fashion and cinema industry.

Vulnerable figures, dramatically portrayed in black and white over diagonal compositions, form the language of Peter Hujar, whose artistic production was recognised for the spontaneous yet touching immediacy of his ‘difficult subjects’.

Over a span of 30 years, since the beginning of the mid-fifties, Hujar’s production has faced and been influenced by shaking moments of cultural history, including the public unfolding of gay life between the Stonewall and the AIDS crisis, the emergence of punk performances in art and music and downtown subcultures during the Reagan Era, as well as the meeting with influential personalities, such as Susan Sontang (who contributed to Hujar’s 1976 monograph).

The interest for subcultural forms of expression and drag performance, led him to meet with Warhol Superstar Candy Darling, who asked Hujar to make her a portrait as “a farewell to the fans”. Set in a hospital room where Candy was admitted for lymphoma, what should have been resulted in an unpleasant image of death was actually transformed in an elegant atmosphere highly suggesting a calm serendipity.

On the one hand, the artistic authority that Hujar's work has achieved overtime collects an immersive and wide contemplation of human bodies and their shapes, investigating on the transient fugacity of life, highlighting both their corporeal presence and interiority. On the other hand, additional works (such as the shots taken at the Palermo catacombs in 1963) featuring still-life, landscapes and animals unveil his sophisticated and melancholic sensibility for existence as a whole.

Peter Hujar died of AIDS in 1987 and more than thirty years after his death, his photographies are gaining worldwide traction more than ever.

For the first time and at The Morgan Library & Museum until the 20th of May 2018, a full-scale retrospective presents 140 photographs of this great artist, displaying the prints how Hujar wanted his work to be exhibited: flirting with disorder to let the viewer dive in the deep storytelling of each single image.

Fashion

OFF-WHITE™ C/O Jimmy Choo pop-up at KaDeWe

On the 21st of February, the prestigious KaDaWe store in Berlin will inaugurate the launch of the OFF-WHITE ™ collaboration with Jimmy Choo collection, which will be showcased in an exclusive pop-up store for over two weeks.

For the first time, the luxurious brand Jimmy Choo collaborates with a ready-to-wear designer, unveiling a commercial collection that combines Virgil Abloh’s youthful exuberance in design with their high-end heritage.

Imbuing the princess heels with an intriguing, conceptual use of plastic tulles and hothouse florals, generate a fresh and appealing identity to the special collection.

The collection will be available from the 21st of February until Tuesday the 6th of March.

Fashion

KENZO Fall/Winter 2018

A young woman stands up in front of her best friend’s family gathering. That same day he shocked everyone when arriving with dyed blond hair. At the end of the evening she is having a letter in her hands, a handwritten note to herself.

With a soft and emotional voice she reads: “I know I felt like this before, But now I'm feeling it even more, because it came from you. Then I open up and see the person falling here is me, a different way to be. I want more, impossible to ignore. Impossible to ignore”

As the girl ends reading, they both walk under a shower of confetti, a metaphor of the shower of dreams we all somehow experienced in our youth. A girl and a boy. They have been friends forever. They are Carol and Humberto, or better known as Carol Lim and Humberto Leon.

In the past seasons Kenzo’s creative directors have been looking at the roots of the brand and his founder Kenzo Takada. See the Spring Summer 2018 with its references to musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and iconic model Sayoko Yamaguchi, both muses of Takada back in the days.

This season, Lim and Leon looked at their own story.

Arriving at the show’s venue we found a cinematographic set at the centre of the runway. Seconds before the lights went on too little we all knew that a live-shot movie was about to start, telling a story inspired by that time when Humberto Leon truly bleached his hair at his sister’s wedding in ‘98.

As the real-time shooting was ongoing the lineup of models stormed in.

The 90s subtly permeated through the entire collection. But also that atmosphere we find in the oeuvre of one of the most acclaimed Hong Kong director: Wong Kar Wai. Knitted vests, boxy silhouettes, and a clash of prints with checks and florals. But also high waist pants paired with lengthened bomber jackets: the menswear collection hinted at a myriad of classic references. The use of technical nylon with an iridescent finish together with leopard print faux fur coats delivered still a youthful approach.

For Womens there was a sense of romantic nostalgia, with floral velvet and silk satin cherry blossom dresses, the latter styled with knit twin set. Bustier dresses in heavy denim were matched with t-shirts where accessories reminiscent of a vintage dimension with clasp bags were declined in satin, leather or with crystals beading.

As those final words from actress Ayumi Roux impersonating young Carol were no other than the lyric of Cramberries’s Dream, also chosen as closing soundtrack of the show, we join in remembrance of the recent and unexpected passing away of its lead singer Dolores O’Rien.

Yohji Yamamoto Menswear Fall 2018

There are many tales surrounding the legend of Shuten Doji, one of strongest demons in ancient Japan folklore, who kidnapped young noble women to devour them at night. It is narrated that at the end of the X century the legendary samurai Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his warriors successfully killed the demon on the Mount Ooe in Kyoto prefecture.

It is not by chance that the painting by Utagawa Yoshitsuya representing these events was imprinted on Yohji Yamamoto’s invite envelope where on its inside sat a small thin sheet of paper. In black colour.

The collection seemed a deep thought on our times, on the recurring human cruelty, on the lack of compassion and values.

There are always many interpretations to Yohji Yamamoto’s poetic and at times ironic view on themes. Even the tight seating felt a key element to read the collection. The urge to be on our toes, to feel the tension, while the models slowly walked in the space of Rue Saint Martin – headquarters of the brand – on the sound of Jiro Animoto’s voice and guitar.

Skirts, tunics, blazers and coats layered to create splendid slouchy ensembles recalling a samurai robe, tightened on the waist by leather belts. In few looks the overcoat was worn on one sleeve underling the flawless fluid tailoring of Yamamoto.

The collection continued with knitwear revealing stitching as a gesture of keeping together lacerated flesh during a battle. Again the poetic of the imperfect, of the ruined.

Shades of blue, grey and deep red looks for deconstructed coats. A photo of Yohji Yamamoto himself was featured on one of them with small glittery blue tear embroidered along one of his eyes. In the final series of monastic black silhouettes John Lennon ‘s “Imagine” pinned a crescendo of emotions in a collection beautifully true to the poetic of this unwavering Japanese master.

Alexander McQueen Menswear Fall 2018

Sarah Burton knows exactly what is one of the main strength at McQueen and never fail to update new elements season after season.

Fall Winter 2018 presented pinstripe and English check suits with overcoats in black cashmere and paisley embroidered camel. Floating kite-like trench coats were styled tightened around the waist. A dialogue between a modern take on traditional tailoring and a more street-like and utilitarian story.

It’s Alexander McQueen heritage to explore contrasting elements.

The collection continued with parkas and bombers in leather with what looked like a double inlay but at a closer glance revealed to be an embellishment on its zipped closure. The play of double progresses when a cashmere lined leather horse blanket as cape with shearling collar is paired with leather pants.

Austere precision is faced with opulent and romantic elements: beautiful hand painted English roses adorn silk suits and jet beading seen in the previous season embellish silk dressing gowns and evening blazers with matching track pants. All paired with white trainers with moulded soles.

Black, burgundy, silver, khaki and a splash of what the show notes called London fire engine red. Like the red lights at the show location, with all its English underground connotation set the mood for an increasingly powerful menswear identity at Alexander McQueen.www.alexandermcqueen.com

By contrast, the modern landscape is enhanced by airbrushed rib jersey and ombre sweatshirts. Sprayed brogues, stretch cuissards and belt pouches are realised in collaboration with Officine Creative and highlights Berghain's spirit to keep late hours.

The collection continues exploring fabrics and patterns, such as vintage florals, silk paisley and carpet knit that drop a hint about the designer travel history across the major fashion capitals in Europe.www.damirdoma.com

Fashion

Dior Denim by Kris van Assche

Perfectly in line with Kris Van Assche’s minimalistic aesthetic, Dior Denim Spring Summer 2018 collection gives space to the reinterpretation of the men suit.

The Dior’s proposal defines the outlines of a urban man, without compromising its timeless and smooth elegance.

Crisp shirts and silk neckties strengthen the Double Denim’s concept, which is firmly enhanced by bold graphics and sheepskin collars, as well as precise cuts and a silver-embossed logo tab. Despite the opulent of details, such as the season’s club kid slogans or the roses embroideries, the look stays balanced. Parts of the collections are also the straight leg 5-pocket jeans, denim shirts and jackets in an array of pale tones, varying from raw indigo to vintage black.

Moreover, exclusive pieces customised with London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Tokyo initials will be released with the collection and sold in 6 pop up stores around around the globe.

Moncler's Florence Boutique Opening

With three windows creating access to Via degli Strozzi and Piazza della Repubblica, Moncler has inaugurated the opening of its new boutique at the very heart of Florence's main shopping area.

The space, which dedicates 160 out of 328 square metres to the sales, stands out for the presence of decorative elements that contribute to highlight a pleasant and sophisticated atmospere. Grigio Carnico marble at the entrance welcomes you to the store, whilst chêne fume wood paneling and a herringbone white Calacatta marble floor creating a balanced contrast with the display areas, whereas metal, glass and mirror details are presented.

Hosting all the Moncler collections including Moncler Grenoble, Gamme Rouge and Gamme Blue lines, the boutique will work as a strategic point for the brand’s retail development plan, which confirms its strong presence as a milestone of the Italian fashion market.

dunhill introduces the London ICON Racing Fragrance

The thrill of the open road and the picture of a man driving through the British landscape in an open-top sports car in racing green were the inspiration for the latest frangrance by dunhill. The racing green was the team color of the English racing drivers at the dawn of motor racing, which is associated with glorious victories and the cutting-edge machinery of Britain’s golden age of engineering. The dunhill London ICON Racing fragrance stands for speed, masculinity and freedom.

As dunhill has always been connected with the history of motoring, an engine turn finish was chosen to decorate the bottle, sporting the automotive engineering technique knurling, which creates a textured geometric pattern and was first used on dunhill metal lighters in 1924. Considered being effortlessly impeccable in manners and appearance, the ICON Racing man is stylish not fashionable.

This energy and masculine sophistication is distiled in every bottle of ICON Racing featuring Guaiac wood, vetiver and musk as warm base notes. Italian bergamot, grapefruit and cardamom note enhance the scent of black pepper and lavender making it the ideal aroma for men on the move. www.dunhill.com

Since December 6th, the Roberto Cavalli SS18 Capsule Collection is available in the online store as well as at the flagship stores in Milan, Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dubai, Hong Kong and Beijing.

Curated by Creative Director Paul Surridge, the collection encapsulates the new codes of the brand’s identity. The collection has strong, bold and dynamic features, which perfectly give every garment a character of its own and so it does for the women who are destined to wear them.

The clear design language exudes Italian spirit, quality and femininity in a straight-forward and sensible way. The traditional Cavalli codes are being transformed highlighting a more urban and cosmopolitan identity of the maison. Concluding that, this collection represents a new concept of contemporary glamour, focusing on advanced interpretations of daywear. www.robertocavalli.com

Fashion

Saint Laurent Collaborates With Colette and Nobuyoshi Araki

The Parisian concept store colette is offering a unique collaboration with Saint Laurent featuring collectors pieces signed by Anthony Vaccarello. Amongst all the desirable items, you will find a hoodie with Patti Smith print, skateboard decks, a Leica camera, a Polaroid SX-70, speakers and headset by Bang & Olufsen, a red Baccarat crystal heart and Helmets by Ruby in a crystallized and fully black version.

In addition to that, the store presents a unique collaboration between world-renowned artist Nobuyoshi Araki, Saint Laurent and its designer Anthony Vaccarello. The unique series of 16 photographs capture model Anja Rubik and integrates photography and painting techniques.

The series is named “Saint Laurent Shiki-in”, which means “lust for color” in Japanese, and intertwines elements of the world of Saint Laurent with the traditional themes of Araki’s work. All of the pieces can be pre-ordered at colette through the Taka Ishii Gallery and then be sent from Tokyo along with Araki’s signature and certificate of authenticity.

The exhibition will be located on Colette’s Mezzanine, while the range of co-signed collector’s pieces will be displayed on the first floor until the 20th December.

Ballenesque — A Retrospective by Roger Ballen

With its probing, challenging images between painting, drawing, photography and installation, the work of American art photographer Roger Ballen is one of a kind. He was born in New York in 1950 but has lived and worked in South Africa for over 30 years and is often named as one of the world’s greatest art photographers. The term Ballenesque, which is already a firm part of the lexicon, is synonymous with his rich monochrome vision, psychological insights and constant reinvention.

His work is being displayed in the permanent collections of some of the best art institutions such as MoMa in New York, Tate Britain in London, Stedelijk Museum and Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Reflex Gallery in Amsterdam is hosting a double-sided exhibition of Ballen’s art, comprising a mini retrospective of 30 works and a selection of 150 Polaroid images. These constitute the first display of color images by the artist during his entire career and offer the opportunity to own an original Roger Ballen image in the form of a Polaroid. The exhibition will be open from the 23rd November until the 30th December 2017.

Fendi Partners Up With Rimowa

The Italian fashion house Fendi has joined forces with the iconic luggage brand Rimowa from Germany and created a one-of-a-kind piece. Rimowa stands for design, durability and craftmanship and is popular amongst fashionable people and those working in the industry. The trolley combines Fendi’s savoir-faire and daring creativity with the modern design and high-tech attributes of Rimowa and successfully intertwines the DNA of both brands. The suitcase is made of aluminium and equipped with a Multiwheel system for smooth and effortless traveling.

Featured in the Cuoio Romano leather, the key values and signature design of Rimowa are perfectly coupled with high-quality, unique details and craftmanship such as the sophisticated, emblematic double F logo with a brushed effect on the aluminium, which changes its perception depending on the light. The black leather handles, along with the web belt, that runs across the case in tones of yellow and a touch of black with the logo, gives the case a characteristic Fendi touch. This ultimate traveler’s piece comes with fun stickers and a name tag where you can add your personal details. Available in selected Fendi and Rimowa boutiques and on fendi.com as of December 2017, just in time for Christmas and all those who will be traveling around the world during the festive season.

Imagine a Hermès bag completely covered in coral, placed at the centre of a theatric scene, surrounded by a universe in soft pink, pale orange, mother-pearl and a constellation of rose coloured marine flora. It’s just one of the enchanting worlds created for Hermès by Leïla Menchari, who for over 55 years has been delivering magical representations of the vision around Hermès, the heritage, the craftsmanship, all in a window. First in ’61 as assistant to Annie Beaumel – director of window displays at the Faubourg Saint-Honoré store, and then in ‘78 when she took over the position together with being appointed director of the silk colours committee for the Maison. Leïla Menchari, a beautiful enchanting woman born in Tunisia, who studied at the Écoles des Beaux-Arts in Paris, captured the imagination of Robert Dumas and his son Jean-Louis. A liaison built on respect and trust. Leila, with her fantasy, with her travels, and exotic vision. Hermès, with its craftsmanship, the know-how and discipline. If a Kelly bag would take generally 15 hours to be crafted, it would turn to 50 hours for the ones produced ad hoc for Leïla Menchari’s spectacular window displays.

“The workshops have never said no to me, always “we’ll see, Leïla, we’ll give it a go.” But it wasn’t easy to get them to fully understand my madness: you can’t explain a dream!” Leila Menchari explains how she was given total freedom both in creation and budget. A so-called carte blanche. For Leïla Menchari a window display is a like a small pièce de théâtre, but without the possibility of dialogues, movements or actors to explains the image. During the opening evening of the exhibition at Grand Palais she explained her vision and nature: “I am touched by grace, by the passion for nature and the “extraordinary” in life. Everything becomes extraordinary. This vision gave me a different way of looking at things, with a high degree of surrealism”. When asked if the exhibition was maybe driven by a dose of nostalgia, she gracefully answered: “Nostalgia is fundamental for memory” This is Leïla Menchari, the globetrotter, the dreamer, the collector, and – as nicknamed by her great friend, the French author Michel Tournier – the “reine mage”. The exhibition will be held till the 3rd of December 2017.

The Lady Dior Art Bag

The iconic Lady Dior bag was born in Dior’s workshops in 1995 and made famous in 1996 when Princess Diana was showing her admiration for it on a visit to Paris. This instantly recognizable bag carries the house’s inimitable style but is also open to interpretation and artistic reinvention. Last year, the maison invited a handful of British and American artists to reimagine the accessory with a limited edition. After the big success of this project on the runway, Dior decided to make it even more diverse and creative by inviting ten artists from around the world, of different ages and backgrounds. The fashion house gave “carte blanche” to the artists to transfer their creativity into Dior’s leatherworking language. Everything, from the bag’s fabric, to its charms, size, color, jewellry, handles and stitching were all adjusted to the artist’s specifications. The outcome is a great collection of exceptional bags, which makes it hard to choose only one Lady Dior Art Bag.

Prada collaborates with Francesco Vezzoli for “Opera Pompidou”

The Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli is internationally well-known for mirroring the glamour of Hollywood in his unsaleable paintings. Now he partnered up with the fashion house Prada to produce the twelve costumes for the “Opera Pompidou” live performance, which was presented in the Centre Pompidou on the 19th October. The reason for this unique project was the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the museum for arts and culture in the heart of Paris. The Italian artist’s visionary world of elaborate references intertwines with the collection of the museumto create a series of special live art performances staged by Vezzoli. Each artist was wearing a costume made by Prada which references to the art work and brings it to life. In this totally emotional reinterpretation of the modern and contemporary collections of Centre Pompidou, the visitor finds himself in a new immersive experience.

Sacai Spring/Summer 2018

Chitose Abe returns to her DNA with transformable-layered silhouettes in a trompe l’oeil language. Tops and outwear were worn on the bust line with the sleeves tied as to create a seamless corset with a floating volume, held together by big sporty straps. The second look to storm in the catwalk already anticipated Abe’s vision for the season: a wind jacket in tech nylon tied over a silk light blue short dress. It’s a language Abe has been using since the start. Deconstructed skirts in denim or cotton lace patchwork-frayed paired with knits delivered a youthful look that felt confident and effortless.

Fluid floral tops with matching jackets knotted over them and long dresses in several tartan patterns patched with transparent chiffon, created a fresh ethereal and appealing atmosphere full of that cool but feminine attitude Abe’s vision is always set on. It is the intricate match of textiles and codes: camouflage cotton, trench textile, lightweight fabrics, all just in one singular dress in a play of hybrids where what seems to be a belt is in fact a soft blazer.

The colour palette was vivid: magenta, bright blue, green, yellow, all the colours that slowly became the signature of the brand. Chitose Abe, the famous protégé of Rei Kawakubo first and Junya Watanabe later, has been always mixing versatility and layered silhouettes. But this season felt extremely genuine and intuitive.

HUGO BOSS and VITRA mark the exhibition “An Eames Celebration”

On October 5th Hugo Boss and the Vitra Design Museum introduced the exhibition “An Eames Celebration” with a cocktail event held in Berlin. One part of the program was the presentation of the limited BOSS accessories collection, which was especially created for the exhibition project. It’s a limited unisex collection of 125 pieces including a tote bag, a portfolio bag, a clutch and a card case. The event took place at the historic pump station of the art collector Christian Boros at Hallesches Ufer. The guests in attendance included international and national film stars as well as socialites from Berlin’s culture and fashion scene. Hugo Boss is the lead sponsor of the retrospective Charles and Ray Eames’ oeuvre running at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein from Septmeber the 30th to February the 25th 2018.

Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2018

What is more French than the Tour Eiffel? Anthony Vaccarello orchestrated a grand show in celebration of the French Maison and its historical patron Pierre Bergé who sadly passed away just three weeks ago.

He paid homage to Bergé, to Yves Saint Laurent, to their visceral love and to the revolutionary years in fashion that they both represented.

Bergé’s words to Vaccarello at the eve of his debut have already become legendary - ” You are not Yves Saint Laurent, don’t try to be Yves Saint Laurent” - the young designer could not be more Yves Saint Laurent in spirit than anyone else.

His style, irreverent, individualistic, and extremely sexy in a way that you literally wish to wear anything he designs regardless of your own style is without doubt so “Monsieur Saint Laurent”. The Monsieur Saint Laurent who managed to move – sometimes with unfavourable opinions - entire fashion crowds in the late 70s, in the 80s, and who was not afraid of fashion critique and consequently pushed boundaries.

We can find traces of Monsieur Saint Laurent’s DNA in Anthony Vaccarello’s Spring Summer 2018 collection: that gypsy shirt from the 70s, the 80s mono-shoulder dress, the feathers – but the collection remains very much about Vaccarello’s powerful identity.

As we were welcomed at the impressive location at the Fontaine de Trocadero, facing the Eiffel tower, the atmosphere culminated into an epic moment when the light spectacle of the tower served as backdrop halfway through the show.

"The Saint Laurent woman is a traveller who reaffirms her complex personality, full of a subtle tension. She is a dark angel with a sensual allure and drapes herself in black-sequined dresses, shining like the asphalt after the rain".

Vaccarello’s words are emblematic of the several elements that constellated the collection. As the designer’s summer travels took him from the Cote d’Azur to Capri, to LA we reencountered everything that fascinated him: the white Italian lace, the French flamboyant look, the West Coast leather looks.

A series of final sculptural dresses, with a scarlet red declination worn by the muse and face of the house Anja Rubik, left the audience speechless.

Welcome to G-Star Mat

In the presence of esteemed guests from the realms of fashion, music and cinema, Pharrell Williams toasted the launch of the G-Star Elwood X25 at G-Star Mat, a space that embodies creativity and self-expression.

The classic G-Star Elwood was reimagined in 25 bright and beautiful prints that meld motifs from the natural world – from poison dart frogs and butterfly fish to leopards and whale sharks – with renderings that pay homage to cultural diversity and include ornate Indian paisley prints and Japanese kimono embroidery.

Like the prints, the space itself was also designed to champion creativity by way of transforming an otherwise ordinary space into a surprising, aesthetically pleasing environment. Sleek Laundromat machines, each containing different print iterations whirred with activity, allowing guests to see the inspiration behind each print and encouraging them to interact with the space itself and one another as if on a movie set.

Zegna’s ‘Defining Moments’

For the second iteration of its ‘Defining Moments’ campaign, Ermenegildo Zegna has brought on Hollywood legend Robert De Niro and Benjamin Millepied, the French choreographer responsible for Natalie Portman’s dramatic dancing in Black Swan. The global advertising campaign will run starting August 22nd on a multitude of platforms. The ‘Defining Moments’ omni channel initiative was first introduced for the Spring/Summer 2017 season, and reflects the emotion and people-centered voice that Ermenegildo Zegna supports in its brand statement.

Both De Niro and Millepied come from different eras, countries and fields. But surprisingly, they have a lot in common: both share a love for New York, sophistication, elegance, and culture. Together with Alessandro Sartori, the Artistic Director for Ermenegildo Zegna, and film-maker Francesco Carrozzini, a dialogue is formed between De Niro and Millepied. Together they discuss their passions, values, and defining moments in their careers: an insightful and intimate conversation which covers their artistic expressions, and how it has framed their life choices.

FENDI: F IS FOR…

Fearless.

This season, Fendi have partnered with Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jordan Clarkson. In the campaign video, the young 25-year-old basketball prodigy, who was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, challenges his skills by shooting hoops at the top of the Palazzo Della Civilta? Italiana in Rome. “It’s important to be fearless on and off the court,” he says. “When you look good, play good, it gives you that sense of confidence. In basketball, it’s all about confidence. Show them who you are, before you get in the arena and express yourself. That’s what it all comes down to.”

The campaign was created and curated by Leonetta Luciano Fendi, the daughter of Silvia Venturini Fendi and the fourth generation of the famous fashion family, poised to take over the helm and bring the brand deep into the new millennium. Together with Ciristiana Monfardini, Leonetta Fendi is shaping fresh content which celebrates young talent, creativity, optimism and fearless confidence: values solidly ingrained in the core of FENDI.

UGG x Jeremy Scott

Jeremy Scott has made a name for himself thanks to his fun-filled approach to fashion, which shuns minimalism and opts instead for boisterous, eye-catching and attention-grabbing designs. You may love them or you may hate them but one thing is for sure: they are excellent conversation starters and some may even be your guilty pleasures.

This September, the outspoken American designer and creative director of Moschino partners up with Californian brand UGG®, putting his own spin on iconic styles. Inspired by and paying homage to cool Californian spirit and vibrant Los Angeles pop culture throughout the ages, the capsule collection is comprised of eight silhouettes featuring bold flame designs, jewelled hardware and Swarovski® crystals on the sheepskin footwear that is now recognised the world over. The limited edition collection includes UGG® footwear for men, women, kids and babies.

And if the designs themselves didn’t turn heads enough, the collab’s ad campaign is sure to do so: musician Lil Yachty and model Jasmine Sanders star in the campaign shot by Marcus Mam outside Los Angeles and are seen rocking not only Scott's designs for the footwear brand but also custom pieces created exclusively to complement featured styles. www.ugg.com

Fashion

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

“Come, gentle Spring, ethereal Mildness, come, And from the bosom of you dropping cloud, While music wakes around, veiled in a shower of shadowing roses, on our plains descend”.

James Thomson poem Spring from his The Seasons printed on the show’s invitation resonated in the enchanting space of the Orangerie du Sénat as the models walked in.

Sarah Burton’s Alexander McQueen Men’s 2018 started slowly to unveil itself, telling a story gracefully balanced, like the gradual passing time of melting snow and moving clouds as the mild warmth of Spring approaches overcoming the cold Winter.

If the first looks presented sleek tailoring, leather outwear in black, off-white or crimson red - three colours running throughout is the whole collection – and a spectacular leather perfecto with matching pants adorned by a constellation of zip, buckles and studs, they are the last looks to steal the scene.

As a white leather cape embroidered with Rudyard Kipling’s “The Explorer” excerpt walks in, we feel the storm, the storm that precede any changing of the season, the sea storm of discovering journeys.

Loose threads in red and blue wool adorns coats and suits in off-white, black and denim recalling the wishing tree. Maps scribbles and ancient poems are embroidered over the collection throughout. The closing looks, with a tree of life embroidered in crystals on a black suit and coat deliver the final emotional blow to this moving and ethereal collection.

Yohji Yamamoto Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

“Too old to die”, “Don’t be body shaming”, “Give me one more chance”

It's rare to see an icon like Yohji Yamamoto reinventing himself with such a savoir faire season after season. For Men's SS18 Yohji Yamamoto channelled his vision in a poetic exercise aiming to discover the younger generations in his team, keeping that signature we have loved long since. Spectacular ethereal velvet, leather bomber jackets in pop colours and notes scribbled all over this touching collection.

Yohji Yamamoto reflects on the afterlife, on the future of the brand once he will depart this world. It is a collection with the signature’s black palette and those powerful and visceral scribbles we have seen often in Yohji Yamamoto’s oeuvre, with Japanese calligraphy and its English counterpart next to it. Messages to the future. Sentences echoing in space look after look. As the models enter the catwalk in the Headquarters of the brand we have felt all these emotional connotations. The future of Yohji Yamamoto’s legacy, the integrity of his signature in the time soon to come. There were beautiful coloured leather jackets painted in collaboration with artist Saitoh Yusuke with portraits of Japanese actress Eiko KOIKE who will be the new face for the upcoming Yohji Yamamoto’s catalogues.But also the self portraits of artist Suzume Uchida, depicting herself as ghost.

It’s the circle of life, as seen in Buddhist philosophy, repeating itself: death, rebirth, and the continuation of life in loop.

Hermès Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

A specific red hue named "H", a deep, intense red spacing between burgundy and brick colour. Splashed on Hermes Spring Summer 2018, together with taupe, navy, royal blue. It's a collection full of playful graphics, sporty and smart.

Veronique Nichanian’s normcore for Hermes Menswear has been balanced on relaxed silhouettes, cotton suits, leather sandals, paper-thin knitwear in caramel on top of emerald green chinos, a white shirt with a cardigan, a spectacular crocodile bomber in black.

Nichanian’s Hermes is that power dressing far from being loud, that discreet approach with a French attitude. Wear a pair of casual trousers, a beautiful fresh pullover, a sporty anorak on top and you are ready to be off duty in a breezy summer night. And yes, with sneakers. It is the quintessential vision of Hermes, its discreet approach and the meticulous leather work.

As the versatile big tote bag and the lambskin bomber jackets with contrasting stitching hint to baseball references it gives a different angle to this historical Maison and its equestrian heritage. www.hermes.com

Art

Michaël Borremans Dances at Zeno X

Michael Borremans has launched his sixth solo exhibition at Zeno X, a Mecca of contemporary painting in the heart of Antwerp, Belgium. Sixteen Dances, the title of the show, is primarily a reference to the changing and multi-faceted nature of painting, and how the medium has the ability to forever adapt to the contemporary zeitgeist.

The paintings are structured into three series: this is a typical way of working for Borremans, who has a necessity to always dig deeper and discover new meaning through multiple variations of the same theme. The paintings function almost as vignettes, which give the exhibition a cinematic feel: a clear continuum is interrupted by random stills which confuse any possible narrative structure. This gives an ambiguous and dark atmosphere, encapsulating the morbid and grotesque scenes present in the paintings, such as babies dancing covered in blood and figures in straight jackets. Borremans undoubtedly takes references from Bosch, Bruegel and Goya in this series of works, which questions the morality of human nature and exploits its subconscious savagery and cannibalism. While absorbing these haunted tableaux, viewers are left feeling dread and disorientation: a feeling that permeates in our current age and society.

The exhibition will run until October 14th 2017.

Fashion

Wood Wood Spring/Summer 2018

Wood Wood takes a trip to the Italian province of Campania for its Spring Summer 2018 collection. The Italian coastlines have provided many a designer with tons of inspiration in the past and continue to do so regularly: steep mountains rise from the Tyrrhenian Sea and rugged sceneries intermingle with country landscapes giving birth to this season’s colour palette.

While journeying through the picturesque island of Capri the designers were greeted by the incomparable carefree and comfortable way of local life. It wasn’t long before they were infatuated; could it have been the food, the wine or the late night dinners? It could have well been all of the above, elements that compose that general feeling of Mondanità that we so lack nowadays.

Vintage signs and powerful quotes from noted Italians such as Federico Fellini and Ettore Sottsass, manifest themselves in the print stories and graphics of the Spring Sumer 2018 collection that harken back to Anthony Minghella’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley”.

For Wood Wood’s Mondano collection, Italian stlye and bright colours intermingle, creating a fresh and optimistic offering that stays loyal to the brand’s attitude. Streetwear is mixed with contemporary detailing and performance styling. Formal suiting is blended with contemporary sports and streetwear codes in a bright and optimistic colour palette dominated by bright reds, yellos, deep green, orange and grounded by the addition of beige and brown.

Fabrics were inspired by Kean Etro’s grandfather as he worked tirelessly to recreate their unique DNA in his Italian atelier. Colours are worked into dyes that preserve the essence of the collection’s spirit with coral, tangerine, turquoise and fuchsia working both together and in contrast with earthy browns, military greens and bronze.

Linen is a permanent fixture for Etro’s Spring/Summer 2018 offering, affording the collection a casual yet tailored feel that’s so at home during the summer months. Lightweight, multi-coloured blazers with paisley prints and coloured Madras checks are all the rage while raw wool combinations ensure that the pieces remain light enough for the warmer months.

Ornamentation also plays an important role in the collection. Painted by hand in swirls of Etro’s favoured palette for the season or embroidered mandalas and floral motifs elevate the look of cargo jackets. This season’s trousers play with volume – ranging from slim cut tuxedo-style evening-wear version to linen Madras slacks for a more casual mood and ornately embroidered denim.

Frayed denim, studded leather jackets and sleeveless t-shirts for the rebels of a modern West Side Story were paired with chequered flag patches, flaming eight balls and ‘Glorious Bastards’ insignia while applique red flames adorn their jeans.

The ladies present a fresh twist on Grease’s queen bee persona, the inimitable Rizzo, as they hold their own in the leather bomber jackets and crop tops, leggings and bejewelled killer heels. Men and women stand their ground as equals, all members of a speed-obsessed squad that transcends gender stereotypes.

Hooded crocodile and leather biker jackets are decorated with airbrushed painting of Deat Proof hot rods, skulls and lightning bolts mirroring the designs emblazoned across the hoods of the pimped-out car zooming past.

Here, it’s the details that do the talking as every element counts in fine-tuning a look. Adrenaline-fuelled fashion for life in the fast lane where noise, power and speed conflate to give birth to something akin to a religion with ‘no guts, no glory’ as its mantra. www.philipp-plein.com

Fashion

Fendi Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

That Friday feeling… it manifests itself mere moments before you leave the office, ready for the weekend adventures of your choice. Almost tangible, it is infused with an air of optimism, relaxation and regrouping no matter the season. Come the summer months, however, and that fleeting moment of utter freedom is accentuated further by longer, sunnier, brighter days and a generally elevated mood.

If that sounds all too familiar, then you’re totally grasping the inspirational context behind Fendi’s Spring Summer 2018 Men’s collection that walked the runway on Monday as part of Milan’s Fashion Week Schedule. This is executive realness on the verge of the weekend. Corporate aplomb walking hand-in-hand with sunny holiday daydreams. In a naturally subdued palette of beiges, sand, greens and flutters of that all-important pink, Fendi’s latest offering focuses around formalwear so versatile that stands its ground from boardroom to pool bar: suits and big blousons are worn with sleeveless shirts while shorts and tracksuits find their perfect matches in silk shirts. Slingback loafers are paired with running socks and neckties complete even the most laid-back looks.

This season sees the advent of what the brand has coined ‘The Skype look’: a playful mismatch of sartorial options that somehow work together while concealed behind the office desk: tops and bottoms clash beautifully and interestingly enough, so do the fronts and backs of many pieces. All notions that adhere to that mood-flipping feeling that rolls around when you’re about to clock out.

COS RE-OPENS ITS KURFÜRSTENDAMM STORE

COS is going back to where it all started by re-opening its Kurfürstendamm store in Berlin. Back in 2007, the Kurfürstendamm store was the first COS store to open on the German market and has since then evolved into eighteen stores.

This time, the Kurfürstendamm store is set over two stories and 625sqm, offering the full collection across COS womenswear, menswear and children's wear. COS wanted to create a dynamic yet timeless space and has therefore preserved the building’s original architectural features while mixing it up with modern updates. The stores interior goes in line with the brand aesthetic by combining functionality and design, creating a contrast interior of blonde wood against concrete and marble.

Finding Eden

A brand’s advertising campaign has a very specific aim in mind –as a carefully crafted fusion of the brand’s core values and signature visual codes, this collection of references is meant to encapsulate and appeal to its archetypal customer.

As the age-old moniker attests, less is (usually) more. Adhering to long-standing traditions and stripping down to a the bare essentials may just be the key ingredients for a campaign in which the ideal customer is present at both ends of the process; they are simultaneously an inspiration and the receiver of the end product. In an age where endless attempts of innovation and out-of-the-box thinking are swarming our daily lives, a back to basics approach comes as a breath of fresh mountain air.

Enter Woolrich’s latest campaign – UTAH: a campaign that focuses and is built around characters residing in Eden, Utah. Located north of Salt Lake City and nestled in a lush valley between Snowbasin and Powder Mountain, Eden seems to exert an irresistible force that pulls lovers of the great outdoors towards it effortlessly, inviting them to partake in the vast array of activities it offers.

The campaign aims to embody the effortless equilibrium that characterises the daily lives of Eden’s residents who are all infatuated with the great outdoors in ways totally personal to each and every one of them. The importance of people and space, the balance between work and home life, the melding of style and exploration all became focal points. For Woolrich, this is about much more than stopping and smelling the roses, it’s about pausing on a long walk to hear stream, feeling the wind on your skin, watching the trees grow and basking in vibrant sunsets. Simply put, this is a celebration of nature’s simultaneously calm and invigorating energy and the endless possibilities it opens up to anyone eager to listen.

Woolrich has been at the forefront of outdoor lifestyle innovation for more than 180 years but its roots can be traced back to tradition and the oldest, continuously operating woollen mill in the US. The Woolrich Mill provided wool blankets to civil war soldiers and continues to produce them to this day. Since then, the brand has been consistent in delivering outdoors-oriented products since the 70s when people began to engage with nature in new and exciting ways. Men and women took their free time to explore natures splendour in a more recreational setting with backpacking, camping, mountaineering and cycling being just a few of their preferred activities.

From simple wool socks to its famous cold-busting parkas, the brand’s products embrace and highlight the authenticity of the outdoor lifestyle. Functionality, comfort and durability are key characteristics of Woolrich’s offerings for both men and women that are further elevated by quality materials such as wool, cotton and down. Completely in-tune with the needs of its customers, the outdoor brand now incorporates technical performance fibres like nylon and polyester in all its garments.

For Woolrich, there’s a simple constant: as long as there are people keen to venture into the wild, it will help them do so in comfort and style.

Chanel Fall/Winter 2017

The magic sets of Chanel Ready-to-Wear shows are always expected with anticipation and this season Karl Lagerfeld confirmed once again to be a visionary. A giant 35-meters-high rocket ship was waiting for us at the centre of the Grand Palais, envisioning the recent NASA news of potentially earth-size and consequentially habitable-zone planets.

It does not surprise that the humongous double C rocket was designed to lift off for more than 10 meters in the finale, leaving us completely stunned in smoke and pyrotechnic lights with Elton John’s Rocket Man in the background, Lagerfeld playfully used a whole vocabulary of space references: metallic matelassé stoles in silver and pink as space blankets, knitted headbands lifting the hair into a voluminous round cloud hinting to the space suit helmet, heavenly beaded black evening dresses to match the stardust castellated sky.

The classic Chanel skirt suits is also reinvented with matching shorts and completed with sequined tights and half gloves. It’s a fantasy as out of the best interstellar tale, and we hypnotically want to be part of it. Sparkling signature tweed in metallic silver, white electric blue and Karl’s favourite powder pink, together with the most glittery lunar boots would provide the perfect mise for our final space mission to escape this tired Mother Earth.

Hermès Fall/Winter 2017

“How enduring, how we need durability / The sky before sunrise is soaked with light / Rosy colour tints buildings, bridges, and the Seine” Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski chose Nobel Prize Czes?aw Mi?osz as backdrop for her collection. More than an homage to her ancestors, it’s the sense of surprise and anticipation every non-Parisian feels when experiencing this city that Vanhee-Cybulski aimed to hint. It’s that wandering around as in a sort of situationist walk, not sure what will resurface from its powerful heritage. The expectation and the excitement.

Hermés Fall/Winter 2017 is all that. Vanhee-Cybulski’s wish to build Hermés identity as timeless but playful, a dialogue between the contemporary fresh attitude with that effortless spirit expressed since her first collection at the French house, was clear from the start. The collection felt polyhedric and at a closer look it revealed all its beautiful craftsmanship.

A beautifully timeless wool long cape in midnight blue lined in a rosy dusty brick tone and paired with a sporty ribbed sweater and tights. A sweeping floor leather coat in pale powder pink. Classic cut pants and laced-up thigh-high boots as borrowed from man’s wardrobe. Relaxed turtleneck knits matched with statement patchwork leather outwear with shearling trim. But also 70s vibes with scarf dresses in mousseline. Vanhee-Cybulski is revising the codes of haute modern dressing for this equestrian-routed French maison.

Yohji Yamamoto Fall/Winter 2017

Declinations of deconstructed silhouettes in shades of black. Pleated, wrapped, twisted. Yohji Yamamoto Fall/Winter 2017 celebrates the roots of the acclaimed Japanese master himself in all the aspects that have been constantly accompanying his vision.

Forty-four looks of pure architectural shapes, and virtuosic silhouettes in a crescendo of emotions. As Yamamoto once again recorded his own guitar playing for the show music, it’s almost as if we could see him, in his home, sitting down and casually strumming his acoustic guitar, in search for fragments of time, emotions, images. Singing about a woman, the archetype of the woman itself.

And it’s the search for the perfect balance of draping around the female body the protagonist of the collection. The gracious volumes protruding along the figure with bias cut, deconstructed, rigorously in black with hand-painted splash of purple and blue. Painting has always been a beautiful obsession for the Japanese designer and we know he would never refrain from expressing the refuse to use print patterns.

The collection synthesizes magnetically these feelings of attachments to identity and the exciting search for the new. Yohji Yamamoto showed once again the unconditional pure beauty of staying true to oneself.

Dries van Noten Fall/Winter 2017 Ready-to-Wear

Imagine a tribe of legendary models from the 90s, with their ageless beauty, power walk and barely-there makeup. Imagine them now walking for the most loved and respected fashion designer of our time for his 100th show.

Dries van Noten surprised everyone when the show started: all the models who walked for him, from the very beginning, were all present: Amber Valletta, Caroline de Maigret, Malgosia Bela, Kirsten Owen, Trish Goff, Kim Noorda, Guinevere Van Seenus and legendary Kristina de Coninck opening the show. Together with the more recent favourites. It was an overwhelming flow of emotions for whomever has followed and worked with this acclaimed Belgian designer since 1993.

The collection was a parade of all the prints, the cuts, the colours from past collections, the story of Dries van Noten in toto. It was an incredible archive research, as some of the print designs didn’t exist anymore. The strong sentiment of timeless style and ageless beauty was pervasive, look after look. The oversized coat, the relaxed long dresses, the denim, velvet, and beautiful fur stoles. The mix-matched colours with a lemon yellow splashing the entire collection. It was a celebration of joy, of positivity, of the essence of femininity itself.

The sound of a crowded street, the cars, the people, a dog barking accompanied the vastitude of a collection of music and movies extracts played: from Jun Miyake’s Lilies of The Valley - the musician who closely worked together with Pina Bausch, one of Dries Van Noten's dearest muses – to the late David Bowie singing Heroes in the a cappella finale. “…you, you can be mean. And I , I’ll drink all the time. Because we are lovers. That is a fact”

Gucci Fall/Winter 2017-18 The Alchemist's Garden

An air of magical curiosity filled the air as Alessandro Michele's Fall/Winter 2017 Gucci collection was presented at Milan Fashion Week. Complete with streetwear elements, fused with historical costumes and oversized floppy hat featured alongside vest tops with anarchic messaging, the collection was vibrant, exciting and oh-so Gucci.

There's a garden of plants and animals. Inhabited by signs, symbols and archetypes invoking and recalling remote worlds, blending the conscious with the unconscious as imagination forces the inertia of reality. This alchemist's garden is an anti-modern laboratory that refutes rigidity and determinism, aiming instead to recover the complexity of existence with the contradictions that permeate it.

This ubiquitous cycle is perfectly embodied in the Ouroboros, an ancient Egyptian symbol of a snake eating up its own tail. It destroys and conceives in a never ending cycle of self renewal and reflects Alessandro Michele's fascination with the role of fashion in modern society.

Iris Schomaker – Come to the Edge

Berlin based artist Iris Schomaker, will display her first Benelux exhibition “Come to the Edge” at the Reflex Gallery in Amsterdam showing off her expressive large-scale watercolor and oil-works on paper featuring figures in various states of repose.

The show will consist purely of new works representing an arresting close-up of a single figure, lying reading, resting, sitting curled up, unaware of the viewer’s gaze because “it’s more like a sudden glimpse-something unexpected. These figures do not offer contact. Their faces are blank, vanishing.” As the artist herself said.

Is exactly this blankness that took Iris to project on to the image looking at the very anonymity of those faces as an invitation to the viewers to bring something of their own being surrounded by powerfully immersive and contemplative figures. Moreover the figures in the newer works from the German artist are often accompanied by a symbolic animal that is more idea, atmosphere, and energy, more a sprit guide that brings a strange, irritating and inspiring energy rather than a flesh and bones companion.

In muted shades of black and grey, with only the thinnest veil of oil wash in faded aquamarine or yellow, the overall impression of the palette is decidedly monochrome. The figures are resolutely not portraits; the final creation is given by a work of research through images of unknown people like photos, sketches, ripped pages of magazines, combined with her drawing and creativity, in order to give birth to an incredible mix between classic paintings and current graphic novels.

Ermenegildo Zegna's Defining Moments

Every story worth being recounted begins with a defining moment. Ermenegildo Zegna's latest campaign focuses on just that: precious interactions, settings and conversations that trigger potentially life-changing reactions for its participants.

Robert De Niro, an actor known and revered the world over requires no introduction but it is safe to say he is no fashion ad regular. Alongside him, American Honey break-out star McCaul Lombardi whose performance generated Hollywood buzz at the end of last year. Actors of different generations, with wildly different experience levels but with an affinity that transcends age.

The campaign, shot by film-maker Francesco Carrozzi sees the actors interacting both with each other and the Zegna garments they have chose to wear and recalling their Defining Moments. De Niro's mentors, his philosophy of risk-taking and what draws him to a role are all put to the table. Lombardi appears genuinely awe-struck and profoundly respectful of his older, more experienced counterpart as he shares his experiences.

A free, real and passionate exchange that bridges a generational gap and lies at the heart of Ermenegildo Zegna's philosophy. A merging of the intensely artisanal and industrial elements that form the brand's DNA and expresses its values.

Loewe Fall/Winter 2017

A small trumpet as an earring, a shopper completely covered in off-white cable knit wool, a thin leather belt with an ominous brass nose on its centre. The collection of objets trouvés that populated Loewe Menswear Fall/Winter 2017 is not a new element for the quirky mind of creative director Jonathan Anderson.

The mix of fun, classic, and urban elements is something we have seen season after season where individuality has been the key. Beautiful leatherwork as rooted in the brand's Spanish heritage, but also Anderson’s favourite hints to fishermen and sailors’ daily-life. Presented in the Parisian showroom the collection is the image of a further complexity and playful daring attitude from the English designer now in his fourth year at the helm of Loewe.

It was certainly the beautiful shearling one of the spotlight of the collection. In deep cobalt blue with black leather details, in denim, or in a striped rainbow coloured version, to pump up our gloomy mood in rainy, cold Paris.

Mixed and matched tartans and handbags with imaginary propaganda newspaper titles gave a further energising accent to a splendid collection full of craftsmanship and a romantic post-industrial atmosphere.

Christian Dada Fall/Winter 2017

“It was boundless blue, almost transparent. I stood up, and as I walked toward my own apartment, I thought, I want to become like this glass. And then I want to reflect this smooth white curving myself. I want to show other people these splendid curves reflected in me” The melancholic closing words of Ryu Murakami’s Almost transparent blue - one of the most striking Japanese contemporary novelists exploring the themes of youth and drug abuse - echoed in Masanori Morikawa’s new Fall Winter 2017 collection for Christian Dada.

Puffer jackets in aluminium silver as reminiscent of drug wrappers, Coca Cola-red sweatshirts with Heroin written in the same typography as the iconic American drink, sweaters in psychedelic orange and blue tones serving as glimpse of post-drug hallucinations.

Morikawa’s collection is imbued with duality - certainly the epitome of youth itself – and that uncertainty and struggle of reaffirmation of young individuals. We see relaxed men’s cut shirts that reveal an incredible heavy textile at the touch, deconstructed jackets that show the lining on the outside, lurex raw materials, all surprisingly soft to the touch.

The T-shirt and leather sweatshirts in collaboration with former English fashion designer and illustrator Charles Anastase, all point in the same direction.

Yet Morikawa presented a collection with a composite of Japanese nostalgia. Like the summer nights spent wearing Jinbei – but here transposed in leather and denim – or those high school times – with the tartan motifs from school uniforms juxtaposed here with urban silhouettes. Christian Dada is beautifully grown up and we are looking forward to seeing the evolution of the brand.

G-STAR RAW presents RAW RESEARCH II by Aitor Throup

Exploring the unlimited possibilities of denim has become Dutch brand G-STAR RAW's latest challenge. The brand presented its latest project, RAW RESEARCH II, in Paris' Palais De Tokyo.

Curiosity and experimentations brought this project to life creating a capsule collection, its pieces a prototype of the latest in denim innovation. The collection features a brand new 3D denim concept: the “ Motac” series. An ergonomic study of the human body in motion gave birth to Motac, created to make garments with perfect fit and versatility thanks to a combination of rigid denim and flexible fabric panels.

To pay homage to G-STAR RAW's homeland, its new creative director Aitor Throup used the iconic Dutch tulip as a conceptual backdrop. Tradition and innovation were brilliantly fused together.

Plein Sport Fall/Winter 2017

Sport and fitness are the latest addiction of modern society and that's a fact. It's not all about keeping fit anymore, it's a lifestyle. Designers have also caught the athleisure bug and among them is Phillip Plein who delivered a Fall/Winter 2017 collection dedicated to sportswear during this year's Milan Fashion Week.

On a runway made over to resemble a racetrack, models, boxers and workout fanatics presented the first ever Plein Sport line. The collection features sweatshirts, puffer gilets and bombers, among many other fitness apparel favourites, fusing cutting-edge technology with luxurious materials.

Innovation is Philipp Plein's mantra and a key word for his collection that also offered sleeve pockets for iPhones and pioneered lightweight footwear and anti-sweat fabrics.

Take a walk on the wild side with Christian Dada’s “Blue” collection

In the name of “Blue”, Christian Dada's latest collection is a hymn to Japanese color traditions. Blue evokes feelings of rebellion, frustration, incomprehension that surround troubled youth.

Reaching out to our inner adolescent, the collection revolves around the concept of deconstruction that is obtained with sophisticated methods of shaping and layering. Mixing Eastern and Dadaist aesthetics, designer Masanori Morikawa plays with classic tailored jackets worn like kimonos wrapped around T-shirts and striped pajamas. Trench coats morph into tunics and army bombers and denim jackets are ripped into and skinned to expose their bone structure.

Tartan motifs and schoolboy sheepskin jackets collectively pay homage to College fashion. With slogans like “I Don't Like Drugs but Drugs Like Me” or “Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die” making appearances throughout the line, Morikawa's collection echoes messages from modern society.

Playing with double entendres is a trademark of the Dadaist mood board that definitely urges one to take a walk on the wild side.

Out Of The Blue comes Peuterey

Peuterey wraps its timeless designs into the most diverse shades of blue for its Spring/Summer 2017 collection.

In Out of the Blue, a name that perfectly encapsulates the collection's essence, Italian elegance meets functionality, conceiving a wide range of models that suit our everyday life perfectly, just like their key-color does.

Whether it's trench coats, leatherjackets or blazers – creative director Federico Curradi, has definitely set a new trend for this Spring/ Summer season.

Bottega Veneta and SCoP: when fashion supports art

Tomas Maier, Bottega Veneta’s creative director, has never hid his passion for art, making it a proper flagship of the Venetian brand’s attitude. Bottega Veneta showed for the first time its strong commitment to art and culture in 2001, when Maier introduced the “Art of Collaboration”: an ongoing project which invites photographers and visual artists in order to reflect brand’s aesthetic inside its campaigns.

This year the brand confirms its ever-lasting addiction to art, partnering with the Shanghai Centre of Photography in order to support four key international exhibitions hold at the most prestigious photography institute in China. SCoP is indeed considered worldwide the city’s very first place entirely dedicated to photography showcasing its best and diverse genres.

“Made in Germany: German photography from the 19th century to today” will be the first exhibition supported by Bottega Veneta. The projects will comprises an unparalleled selection of iconic masterpieces that together with contemporary examples will give an up-to-date and fresh touch to the entire exhibition.

Louis Vuitton’s “Series 6”: between French theatricality and aesthetics

Paris with its romantic promenades sur la Seine it’s the star of “Series 6”, the new Spring/Summer 2017 advertising campaign by Louis Vuitton.

Like a flâneur, Bruce Weber, captured the allure of Nicolas Ghesquiere’s favourite heroines bringing back to life the atmosphere of artistic enthusiasm that typify the city of lights. Michelle Williams, Jennifer Connelly, Adèle Exarchpoulos and Sasha Lane become the modern inspirations for a reimagined Paris. The result portrays powerful silhouettes that comprise a collection of strongly cultural referred Parisian moments. The season’s handbags, the long jersey dresses and the tailored suit become characters in their own right, the perfect companions for these pictorial personalities.

“It is to this cultivated, intellectual, original and free-spirited Parisienne that I wanted to pay tribute” said Nicolas Ghesquière, the creative epicenter of nowadays French elegance.

VERSACE Spring/Summer 2017: enjoy the ride

Savagery and freedom have always been messages carried by Versace that since its birth thanks to its innovative ways of conceiving fashion has endlessly imposed its creative dynamism among the highest fashion brands.

From attitudes to backgrounds, the Spring/Summer 2017 campaign shot by Bruce Weber is the proper representation of what Versace has always meant in the haute couture. Conceived by artistic director Donatella Versace, the freedom and dynamism of summer and the active mood are perfectly encapsulated in these shoots. Models Edie Campbell, Anna Ewers, Mitchell Slaggert and Jake Lahrman, found themselves in the Kentucky countryside surrounded by horses, perfect symbols of this “freedom” collection.

Freedom of choice, freedom of expression and freedom of speech, These are the messages carried by this collection and Versace in general, because as Bruce Weber said: “it’s always interesting that fashion can carry messages in a subtle way and make people think about their own lives and how they can make it better.”

Acne Studios Resort 2017 collection’s film is now out, and it’s all about Hype Fever

Highlighted shades, slow motion pictures and pop vibes merge together to give birth to the new Resort 2017 collections film by Acne Studios.

Inspired by musical counter culture, free and fluid silhouettes mixed and matched with generous draping, patterned knitwear and elongated evening wear. Sneak peeks from the runway are given together with backstage scenes to present a collection that is nothing but common.

Resort 2017 is all about shapes and prints that are achieved through a variety of dyeing techniques from tie-dyeing to oil-dyeing, in order to create a look that is both soft and romantic without ever forgetting a taste of sane hippie-rock attitude.

Levi’s and JUGEND GEGEN AIDS: T-shirts with a good cause

On world’s AIDS day Levi’s decided not to stay in the corner, taking part together with the JUGEND GEGEN AIDS association to a special night that merged fashion, music and sexual education.

In order to make a difference and let young people feel close to the cause, the denim brand organized the “Night of Life” in association with DJs and starred chefs in order to turn a pool party at the Hamburg East Hotel into something unforgettable.

The ‘STOP AIDS’ sign was shown on black and white limited edition Levi’s T-shirts during the party, whose proceeds will go to the benefit association JGA that since years fight to create awareness around AIDS.

Moment of Hesitation

Like electrodes deep in the synapses of our brain, this is the site where stories are told and thoughts connect; like frozen memories that somehow never thaw out. The harmony and disharmony of events that playout on Earth serve as inspiration for Graff’s Threads collection. Designed and manufactured in the label’s London atelier, the collection includes a wristwatch embellished with diamonds, designed with the expertise of Graff’s Swiss watchmakers. The family-operated company houses the largest rough diamond discovered since 1905, and Lesedi La Rona is its exquisite uncut gem, allowing it to get away with its more extravagant pieces and playful petit jewelry, designed as sweet gestures of affection.
An eclectic range of accessories includes pendants, rings, and a tiara, crafted of great comfort and quality, all brandishing a clear visual connection; poetic, like fates intersecting. “Connections are almost instantaneous. Our design perspective was to explore the meaning of all those crossing points, each of which is meaningful in our lives,” says Anne-Eva Geffroy, Design Director at Graff. In handling the highest quality of diamonds, discovering the inimitable beauty in each individual stone is of vital importance. Each millimeter of every stone has been cut with high precision, its layers of relief offering another dimension to the very medium of jewelry.
www.graff.com

Fashion

Clean Statements

Today, everyday life feels confrontational, with can’t-look-away culture wars kicking off in our pockets and clicktivism calling us all (usually rightly) to account. Copenhagen Fashion Week was littered with bold statements, dramatic silhouettes, and commanding textures in every color. Designers and attendees alike uttered two words with remarkable frequency: fashion and sustainability. The event itself announced a three-year action plan to address sustainability, and plans to demand brands meet certain targets in order to showcase their collections at Fashion Week. The idea that less is more was eminent. Less fabric means fewer chemicals, ergo less damage. Oslo-based brand Holzweiler has taken things one step further with the release of its SS20 collection. The family business presented a line-up that was as fresh as the faces of the models it dressed. With a delightful selection of gender-neutral offerings, the palette was muted, spanning mustard yellow through to mushroom and bark, complimented by hues of shamrock green and authoritative indigo. Clean lines commanded with Scandinavian style, as sun-kissed models flounced to abstract electronica – a compelling contrast to the lightness of clothing on show. Orbs sculpted from recycled plastic counterbalanced weightless textures. Executive Director, Susanne Holzweiler, explained the ethos behind their formation, “The material used in the sculptures is plastic we, ourselves, cleaned up at Akerselva in Oslo, just recently. We wanted to showcase the many possibilities of recycling, this time in [an] art format, through sculptures.” Embodying the simplicity that comes with summer, the line was filled with clean tailoring: windy-day-at-the-beach chic. The contrast of chunky hand-knitted crochets and relaxed tailoring showcased ensembles that could work for any age, gender, or size. The brand’s fourth runway show was, once again, a “no phone show” to encourage people to experience the beauty of being present. It may have not worked 100 percent of the time – it’s a tricky habit to break – but the message cut through clear as day, just like the clever philosophy of the clothing at play.

www.holzweiler.no

Fashion

The Standard Project

As fashion has come to a virtual halt, designers and brands are claiming excitement at this production reduction and cancelled-collections, happy to rethink the way the industry is. In truth, the nature of the fashion industry causes unimaginable damage to the environment, and the current method as we know now is completely unsustainable. Since 2019, the Standard Project has offered an alternative to the fast fashion system. They believe that good design has a place in everyday life. Stripping designs down to their essence and reviving them with pure looks and materials, The Standard Project identifies essentials and reinterprets them according to the idea of having a permanent collection of items. Creating basic, unisex t-shirts and beanies, their collection goes past the basics of fashion. Tailoring to everyday needs with products like a titanium pure design bike, filter coffee light roasted from Guatemala and a soft woollen blanket with monochrome black stitching. Employing the ‘slow fashion’ process, all of their products are ethically-produced with sustainability and good design at the heart of its identity. www.standard-project.com

Fashion

Prada Timecapsule no. 5

Last week we saw the fifth edition of Prada’s Timecapsule, an initiative that drops a new item on the first Thursday of every month as an online exclusive for just 24 hours. A unique logo created by OMA together with a serial number and sophisticated dedicated packaging makes each drop unique. For this release, Prada presented a crisp white cotton poplin shirt in a limited edition, decorated with an all-over print clearly inspired by auto-racing. The "May" print of the month on the back is a unique touch for this shirt that is also accented with mother-of-pearl buttons suitable. Launched for the first time on December 5, 2019 in Europe, and for the first time in Japan, the exclusive product drop will potentially reach other markets over the course of 2020. Stay tuned.

The Dior Maison Collection - New Lily of The Valley

Throughout his extensive career Christian Dior redefined dressage, taking inspiration from floral forms and creating beautiful gowns and garments worthy of a place in the finest museums. Floral aspects have since been synonymous with the maison as we look back to the Muguet Dress, made in the late 1950’s, entirely embroidered with bell-shaped blooms. Or we are reminded of the Diorissimo perfume, a delicious scent that skillfully evoked this springtime bouquet. Now, the lily of the valley adorns this season’s new Dior Maison collection by Cordelia de Castellane, a symbol of purity and joy that announces the arrival of warmer days. Porcelain plates, decorative baubles, glasses and decanters are covered or playfully sprinkled with its precious sprigs, capturing art de vivre through a sweet celebration of nature’s beauty.

Inside Chanel

In light of the sudden surge in traffic amongst the online sphere, people are searching for new content to keep us entertained in this strange time. Chanel has launched its new series to remedy such want, Inside Chanel. The microsite aims to educate viewers about the maison’s exciting history and heritage through a series of short film and media content. The latest chapter of the series delves into fashion and film, exploring the French designer’s impact on screen, in a time when fashion and film were both finding their footing in the 20th century. As newcomers to the artistic sphere of the 20th century, the paths of cinema and Gabrielle Chanel's extraordinary career crossed in a continuous creative dialogue and is reflected in this condensed picture. The short films have so far reflected on the brand’s history and its founder’s legacy, with testimonies and quotes from icons such as the late Karl Lagerfeld.

Formale Eccezionale

Even the most unfashionable of men, those without a conscious thought to their wardrobe, even these men understand the power of a good suit. Like most excellent fashion compositions, a well-made suit has the power to shift not only the world's view of a person but how they view themselves. Yet self-expression is a key player in putting one's best foot forward and expressing one's personality and individualism. Etro’s capsule collection presents four suits, characterized by formal construction and enriched by unexpected interpretations, colored details and special prints of paisley or jacquard. Combining traditional elegance with eccentricity, the Italian brand stays true to the maison’s identity as it puts forward a new apparent antithesis of the eclectic Etro male wardrobe. With four different designs in the capsule collection, Etro reinforces its attention to detail and dedication to fabric research and tailoring processes, since 1968. The formale eccezionale is launching in June 2020 both online and (hopefully) in-stores.

PRADA Pre-Fall 2020

At a moment where our experience of society and culture is defined by the picture plane, as we spend our days focusing more on virtual interactions rather than physical Prada’s new pre-fall campaign takes inspiration from the nature of human interaction as well as the imperfection of handcraft. Photographed in London by David Sims and painted in New York, and engineered to react to a changed world, Prada color recalibrates classic garments to give outfits a new even surreal actuality. The silhouettes of the clothes become ‘paint by numbers’ frames for explorations of color – with shades of Celeste blue, pink, yellow, orange, and green. Vibrant colors are pushed center stage, highlighting their disarming simplicity and reflecting a fusion of the human hand and eye with technology. Blurring lines between the photographic and the painterly, between technology and humanity, it is a subconscious echo of the current moment. The joy of color with the joy of technology - both a means of communicating an immediate message. Ultimately, that message is of positivity - a fantasy, painted in Prada colors.

Brands Giving Back: Tristate International

Among those in the private sector re-working their business to aid the front-line is parent firm to Italian sportswear brand, C.P Company.
Tristate International SA lends a hand during the crisis by donating sanitary equipment to the much-affected Lombardy state in Italy, providing over 19,000 sanitary masks. As well as working with Italian companies and universities to develop reusable masks that could help in lowering the environmental impact of the coronavirus. With plans to do more as the situation continues, Tristate and C.P Company have joined the front-line in aiding those who need it most.

Fashion

Cartier Watchmaking Encounters

With the closure and cancellation of events and conferences companies are doing their best to dream up new ways to host in the online sphere. In the absence of a major watchmaking fair this year, Cartier is launching an international website dedicated to this year’s watchmaking novelties. “In the current context, we believe it is important to preserve our interactions with all our clients around the world through various touch points, and thus be able to offer them an experience entirely dedicated to our Maison’s watchmaking creations. ”, says Arnaud Carrez, Marketing and Communication Director at Cartier International. Visitors will be able to first discover Pasha, the brands cult watch featured in a whole new interpretation. A design highlight of Cartier, Pasha will be this year’s watchmaking statement for the Maison, starting with a launch in China this summer, followed by a worldwide activation early September. The platform will be live starting April 25, and will be available in French, English and Chinese.

Moose Knuckles Gives a F**k

The last few months have been heart-rendering to say the least, but these poignant times have also showcased incredible acts of solidarity. We have witnessed countless examples of generosity from businesses of all sizes in support for the fight against COVID-19. Brands are using their influence to do some good, and canadian brand Moose Knuckles is no different. Firstly the outerwear brand held a ten-day sale in support of overburdened medical professionals, then launched a collaboration to commission creatives in New York City and Paris to reimagine the brands Lead Jacket into art. The unique creations will then be available to purchase via the brands website. To alleviate the effects of the indefinite isolation of the masses, Moose Knuckles has also transformed it’s Instagram account into a source of inspiration, engagement, and entertainment. By employing teams of local businesses and freelance creatives, the initiative supports industries that are severely affected by the pandemic. “This crisis is bigger than business and profits. We can think about that later. At the moment, our main focus should be on looking after each other.” - Ayal Twik, CEO.

Z Zegna presents TECHMERINOTM and TECHMERINOTM WASH&GO for SS20

Zegna: A Conscious Lifestyle Zegna has been at the forefront in developing reforestation and environment preservation for over eighty years with successful results on the outstanding Oasi Zegna in Biella, Valdilana Region. Therefore it’s no surprise that Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori utilised the concept of desertification for the SS20 collection. A theme that embraces an ethical and conscious lifestyle, the collection features a new generation of technical garments with innovative fabrics and functional construction. Loose outwear styles such as windbreakers, anoraks and bombers feature mix and matching textures that are paired with pants cut in slim, cargos and carrots. While the crease-free merino natural wool shines with tactile effects, the striking colors are reminiscent of a desert at sunset. Nocturnal indigo is refreshed with off-white and orange shades, while desert and khaki neutrals are paired with the neon boldness of lime green and pink red for added modernity.

Driving the choice of materials and techniques, the range is derived from up-cycled and recycled fibers using water-friendly treatments and washing processes, as well as fiber blends.The deconstructed silhouettes, ultra-lightness, high-performance and unquestionable style of the collection are synonymous of the esteemed Italian label.

Ermenegildo Zegna Luxury Leisurewear

As the days are finally getting longer and we witness once again those wonderful sun-stretched evenings we breathe in a thankful breath - summer has finally arrived. A casual summer ahead for most of us no doubt, as we plan for a summer full of lounging and relaxation. We now look towards the brands offering casual yet stylish clothing, and above all, comfort is key.

It seems Zegna’s Luxury Leisurewear collection has arrived at precisely the right time. The collection consists of a versatile and casual wardrobe for a stylish contemporary man. Catering for both a cosy and exclusive look, the collection features a selection of semi-casual leisurewear that exude a luxurious sensibility. Featuring a brown micro-structured linen overshirt with flap pockets on the chest as well as stylish patches on the sleeves as well as a favorite being knitwear hoodies made from cotton, wool and cashmere for maximum comfort, functionality and style. The range is quite basic offering wardrobe staples like linen blazers and silk-blend polos, but is well rounded in the fact that it offers a contemporary and summery take on the usual ‘loungewear’.

Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle - New Dawn

Mystic daybreak, a song before sunrise. As night dissipates we are blessed in those precious moments before the morning sun brings first light. Diffused yet powerful, the second perfume by Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle is an allegory for the serenity and solitude of the day’s first moments. Inspired by travels through the Middle East, the aromatic and complex scent is luxuriant and bold, yet layered with nuance. Deceptively simple, its magnificent texture is faceted by a host of supporting characters: a refreshing opening of rose and lively pink pepper. Referencing the region’s unique culture and language of scent the laudanum and vibrant frankincense bring extra warmth as oak moss provides a dark focal point. Widely considered to be America’s greatest living perfumer, Carlos Benaïm’s extensive career and Moroccan heritage inform an esoteric take on the traditions of Middle Eastern perfumery. The rich notes of the perfume begs us to take pause and enrich moments by allowing the aroma to take hold, like a moment of prayer.

Cartier Women’s Initiative

Back in 2006 Cartier launched the Cartier Women’s Initiative, an action that made a commitment to women in reaching their full potential. Open to women-run and women-owned businesses that aim to have a strong and sustainable social and environmental impact, the initiative has accompanied 240 promising female entrepreneurs from 56 different countries and has awarded over 3 million USD to support their businesses. Announcing the 21 finalists of the 2020 edition, we see for the first time ever countries such as Australia, Benin, Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden represented in the program. By providing them with the necessary financial, social and human capital support to grow their businesses and build their leadership skills Cartier shines a light on the achievements of these women. Cyrille Vigneron, President and CEO “At Cartier, we believe it is crucial to support young businesses and start-ups through to a more stable period. And this is what we intend to keep doing, fully aware that these women are making a concrete and durable impact, therefore paving the way for a better future.”

Acqua di Parma Home Collection

Through our senses we can be transported through time and space to a moment of the past. A pleasant memory or a moment of happiness brought to the fore with the taste, touch or smell of something reminiscent. There are certain sensations so powerful that for a moment, we can feel as though we are somewhere else. Indeed staying home is the best thing for us right now, but transporting oneself does not have to be physical. Acqua di Parma’s new home collection is designed for life’s every moment, to allow you to create the ideal space from the comfort of your own home. A collection of candles and diffusers full of stimulating compositions based on typical moments of Italian living. With Spring finally stepping in, transport yourself with the fine fragrances of the Italian brands candles and diffusers. Luce di Colonia, Buongiorno, La Casa sul Lago, Caffè in Piazza, Oh, L’amore, and now two new Acqua di Parma creations: Aperitivo in Terrazza and Profumi dell’Orto. Create a sensuous ambiance as refined aromas such as tomato leaves, verbena and a lively spicy scent of pepper spread through your home.

Miu Miu SS20 Campaign 'Casa Corberó'

The late artist Xavier Corberó has been considered by many to be the most significant Catalan artist since Gaudí and is best known for his monumental public sculptures that can right now be seen in galleries all over the world. Back in 1967 Corberó acquired a plot of land on the outskirts of Barcelona where he began devoting his time into developing the estate until his death in 2017. The property now stands as a labyrinthine cabinet of curiosities concealed by a heavy medieval stone fence. The surrealist style of Corberó’s friend, Salvador Dali is seen throughout the nine buildings largely devoted to hosting artists-in-residence and exhibition spaces that hold a number of Corbeó’s own sculptures. Now, the estate takes a new identity as it becomes the scene of the Spring-Summer 2020 Miu Miu campaign as ‘Casa Sublim’ part stage set, part installation, part gallery, part home. The campaign envisions an all-female artist colony where creative freedom and expression – at times spattered and hand-painted, with mismatched buttons and ‘collaged’ ruffles is contrasted with the discipline of form, silhouette and utility found in workwear and uniform. Utilising multiple, contrasting viewpoints and styles, still and moving imagery, black and white and vivid colour the campaign ultimately contrasts female and male gazes as well as challenging notions of subject and object as well as the real and surreal.

DIOR Future Relics by Daniel Arsham

Opened October 1946 in a time of rationing and derivation following WWII, Christian Dior’s couture house was established with a hope to allow women to rediscover joy, elegance and beauty. Soon enough his name became synonymous with French luxury all over the world and still is to this day. The french maison has long been a household name that still resonates across women and menswear. This season's SS20 menswear featured the stand-out work of contemporary artist Daniel Ashram. An unforgettable runway, the set had been transformed into a sugary pink space adorned with monolithic sculptures that spelled the word DIOR. Now, Artistic Director Kim Jones and Ashram are collaborating once again. Together they are bringing life to some of the maison’s classics—the treasured inspirations and objects of Christian Dior himself. The range features a selection of objects given a timeless and contemporary twist, including Monsieur Dior’s 1951 book ‘Je Suis Couturier’ which has now taken shape as an eroded jewelry box studded with crystals. Transforming these objects into must-have editions to your personal art collections each Future Relic is housed in a custom art crate, delivered with a pair of white gloves, a certificate with numeration and a specially crafted sand timer all colored as per the menswear SS20 show’s decor. Every item is handmade in Ashram’s New York atelier and are only available in Dior boutiques.

Moose Knuckles SS20 Campaign

On a voyage of discovery Captain George Vancouver met with King Kamehameha I and soon confirmed their friendship by saluting each other with a touch of their noses, as is Hawaiian custom. As a parting gift, Vancouver gave five long horned cattle to King Kamehameha who then made it kapu (off-limits) to harm or possess the cattle. Decades later the people of Hawaii discovered that these animals had to be tamed and so the hawaiian cowboy tradition was born. Canadian outerwear brand Moose Knuckles embodies this relationship and shared culture and beliefs in their new SS20 campaign titled, Surf Rodeo. Since 2013 the brand has been embodying a message of family, and community using honest materials and premium hardware that highlight the Moose Knuckles values. Designed and directed by the Hawaiian creative, Taylor Okata, the storyline of the campaign video embodies the Hawaiian way of life, portraying a group of friends on an adventure that leads them to a beautiful horse ranch and ending the day with a sunset surf session. Combining modern silhouettes with traditional western aesthetics, the collection consists of lightweight, padded jackets, parkas, fitted down jackets and high-end, country-inspired pieces - all in a color palette inspired by the grasslands of the Canadian Prairies. Featuring graphic prints, fringe silhouettes and custom python and kangaroo cowboy boots made by the Alberta Boot Company the western sensibility is celebrated throughout the collection. Shot on the North Shore of Hawaii by photographer Alana Spencer, the video combined cowboy vibes with more metropolitan influences for the Spring / Summer 2020 collection and featured siblings Evan and Alika Mock resulting in an authentic and warm sense of Ohana or ‘family feeling’.

Borbonese’s Fall Collection 2020

Picture a timeline that showcases the evolution of women’s fashion over the last century, a combination of the key moments and trends that have shaped fashion today. Borbonese’s Fall collection stems from this concept, embracing iconic design details for the brand’s 110th year anniversary. Accessories such as the 110 bag and thick-framed sunglasses seal the message. Dorian Farantini and Matteo Mena have fashioned themselves a parallel dimension where time has f bundled together into one capsule collection that is reflected in solemn silhouettes, 70’s style patterns and 80s power-tailoring.

Milan Fashion Week Women's - Recap

SPORTMAX

Following Sportmax’s 50th anniversary year fashion director Grazia Malagoli led the brand into the future with a strangely optimistic perspective. Unlike the usual discourse surrounding our uncertain future the show titled, ‘A brighter future’ confronted the imminence of hyper-technological future. Boots that extended far beyond the knee, ultra scenographic eyewear and seductive 3D silhouettes kept with the structural mood and futuristic tone. The blend of materials and shapes brought a soft sensuality while the floral patterns and jacquard motifs brought a sense of levity to the structured collection. www.sportmax.com

Salvatore Ferragamo

The nature of femininity in the current climate is becoming increasingly diverse and flexible. In contrast to the Jungian archetypes of women, Salvatore Ferragamo’s fall collection explores what it means to be a woman today. The moods range from soft and romantic utilising sheer and cashmere, to pragmatic and powerful with details like chain fringes and bold shearling personifying the diverse and flexible nature of female identity. A strong cultural depth along with up cycled leather accessories embody the ‘Metamodern woman’ in this futuristically fluid collection.

Celebrating a new age with reworks and restyles of their seminal BOSS aesthetic the brand showcased a future-focused Fall collection in a show titled ‘Generations’. Following the current trend-wave of fringe, a warm selection of glossy fabrics, utility accessories and hand-woven leathers blended the mens and women's looks seamlessly. The fresh-faced models presented the collection with elevated outerwear and fluid jersey pieces in a lilac-colored show space accompanied by an energetic live orchestra. A new interpretation of their tailored history ‘Generations’ granted a fusion of iconic aesthetics with an avant-garde twist. www.hugoboss.com

Bottega Veneta

Amongst a sea of fall colors and autumnal moods Bottega Veneta’s Daniel Lee presented a ready-to-wear collection that exuded confidence with rich waxy palettes punctuating black. The deep color pops of scarlet, kiwi and lollipop were played in controlled repetition. The show emphasised vitality and movement not only with color but with elongated silhouettes, knit dressing and jersey for both day and evening. Feeding into the current fringe ‘moment’ that reigned over Milan last week Bottega Veneta’s use of the ornament was by far the most audacious and indeed, memorable.

News from the Top

It was last spring that the Swiss house Bally set a clear sign to its continued commitment to environmental protection, more precisely the protection of the mountains, so intertwined with its Swiss origins and mountaineering heritage. After a more than successful first-ever Mount Everest cleaning expedition, Bally now proactively establishes long-term commitment, in the form of the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation, to the protection of these extreme environments, threatened by increasing numbers of tourists and the garbage they leave behind. With the help of the local communities, Bally’s future efforts will by no means focus solely on Mount Everest. The Himalaya features a multitude of peaks towering far over 8000m, which all will become subjects of the Bally cleaning expeditions. Besides a second Mount Everest expedition this year, Bally has confirmed efforts on four further peaks in 2020 as well as more plans for the upcoming year 2021. As put by Nicolas Girotto, Bally CEO, ‘This is a long-term mission and it is only the beginning.’

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Hermès Men’s Fall/Winter

An understated elegance can be a radical gesture. Véronique Nichanian’s aesthetic for Hermès has been always driven by the craftsmanship savoir faire of the Maison and a that classic yet innovative wardrobe we have seen season after season. Nichanian for Hermès Fall-Winter 2020 expressed this vision on a further level. Extremely minimalist, clean and casual silhouettes combined with beautifully tailored suits and outwear at times layered. The color palette also spoke the same language: charcoal, hazelnut, camel, ecru, ebony. The leather pieces have always been the quintessential element for the Maison: technical calfskin for sweatshirts, rubberized lambskin for parkas reversible in printed Toilovent, zipped windbreakers in deerskin, babylamb for blousons with high collar. The collection used rich psychedelic patterns for knitwear named Rêve Hypnothique, adorning beautiful turtle neck pullovers in 180’s wool Sensual but whispered, Nichanian’s latest collection is an ode to the deep core of Hermès where “the evening is surrounded by nuances of brown and black”. www.hermes.com

Fashion

Milan Fashion Week 2020 - Ermenegildo Zegna Men's Fall/Winter

Against the backdrop of shivering ribbons of fabrics, all sourced from the surplus of the 6 previous collections, Alessandro Sartori presents his newest collection at Ermenegildo Zegna. Conceived by American Ann Patterson, it visualizes the huge waste of materials at a house like Zegna and sets a signal of the house’s pledge to improve the efficacy of their ways of production. Entitled ‘Art for Earth’, the intentions behind the collection become clear in an instant, reminding us that in Sartori’s own word, ‘art should always respect the earth. That’s our mission, as humans and fashion-makers.’ Once again, Sartori proves to be the ideal person to showcase all of Zegna’s craftsmanship and mastery of tailoring. Breaking down boundaries, he takes Italian tradition into new hybrid directions in a constant morphing of evolving shapes, such as blazer-parka hybrids, voluminous coats with deep black pleats and shirts that double as short-sleeved blousons. In collaboration with German camera manufacturer Leica, the collection features a series of camera bags, straps and holders, as part of a broader dialogue between the two brands. www.zegna.com

Fashion

Whitney

In 2015, the Whitney Museum of Modern Art found a new home in the futuristic Renzo Piano designed building in New York. For the special occasion of this reopening, Max Mara teamed up with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop to create the now iconic Whitney bag, with its design being inspired by the architecture of the new museum building itself. For the fifth anniversary of its original unveiling, Max Mara revives the bag in a special edition, dedicated to American painter Florine Stettheimer, whose avant-garde paintings represent a major part of the Whitney Museum's collection. Her acclaimed work 'Sun', dating back to 1931, becomes the main inspiration for the bag's five new colorways and the floral design of the inside lining. Indeed a anniversary issue, or better yet five, each variation of the Whitney bag is to be desired and collected like a piece art.

Art of Gardening

There are some months passing between a collection being first revealed on the catwalk and it actually becoming available in store. During this time, the world of fashion does not stop, but continues to move forward with new projects or capsule collections being presented one after another. For this reason, it becomes even more important to follow up the strong first impressions from the initial shows with advertising campaigns that revive the spirit of the collection. Shot en plein air in a natural and classic Italian scenery, the FENDI campaign reflects the gardening and bucolic aspects of the collection with the locations flawlessly merging with the earthy and muted color palette of beige, green and brown. The collection, from sartorial workwear pieces, including overalls, to shirts and suits, is completed with matching accessories in a further nod to the art of gardening, with the house's classic pieces appearing in new variations with carefully selected and combined materials. As with the collection, Silvia Venturini Fendi invited Italian movie director Luca Guadagnino to help her realize her vision of the relationship between man and nature. The resulting visuals will break in worldwide magazines in January 2020.

SUICOKE: a unique approach to innovation

We have been looking at SUICOKE's bold creative approach for a while: challenging creative development and utilizing only the highest quality materials. Founded in 2006 Suicoke introduced its original Sandal equipped with SUICOKE ORIGINAL EVA Footbed in 2012, adding and unique comfort to footwear. These are shoes made for walking. In 2014 SUICOKE went a step further when they found great unification with the likeminded Vibram® - known for being the best sole producer in the world - working together a sandal equipped with an original Vibram® sole. The two brands went on to create one of the greatest products on the market – the Vibram® Morflex. An industry first, its function and high quality of design gained quickly global recognition. SUICOKE is continuously in motion developing footwear that showcases the brand's relevance within the fashion world.

Acqua di Parma: Signatures of the Sun

For more than a century Acqua di Parma has been capturing a sense of lively and inspiring fragrances, bottling them in small yet artful glass bottles and distributing them far and wide. Now, with the help of Italian instant-visual artist Maurizio Galimberti, to evoke an adventurous collection of ten perfumes. ‘Signatures of the Sun’ favors more delicate olfactory elements like the sparkling citric notes of mandarin, flowering notes of neroli or osmanthus, a special flower that blooms commonly in the sunlight of south-east asia.

Their perfume, ‘Sakura’, is a flower of rebirth that comes from Japanese cherry blossoms. The floweing of the sakura is celebrated every year all over Japan, it is a symbol of new energy. With a long-lasting spice and a counterpart of sambac jasmine rest on a sophistocated musk base note. Each of these fragrances embodies the retainance of newfound energy, like dawn’s first light opens one’s eyes the sensations evoked in Acqua di Parma’s latest collection are just as subtle and sweet. Galimberti’s kaleidescopic works bring to mind the many ways in which sunlight is reflected and enhanced, each fragrance’s glasswork also captures this joyous and ephemeral beauty.

CHANEL SS20

The breeze you feel on a Sunday morning drinking your coffee on your balcony looking at the Parisian roofs, the freedom you savour when breathing that crisp fresh air. Virginie Viard was inspired by the Nouvelle Vague’s actors Gabrielle Chanel used to dress, like Jean Seberg, famous for her iconic performance in Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless.

Chanel Spring Summer 2020 delved in a youthful atmosphere, nonchalant, playing between schoolgirl innocence and powerful masculine dressing codes: straight-cut tweed jacket is revisited, transformed into playsuits, jumpsuits or a little dress with a flared skirt, balloon skirts paired with ruffled tops and pleated blouses with balloon sleeves adorned with raffia and organza petals. Long coats come in tweed or wool crêpe while a striped top and a carelessly knotted shirt again play with the dual accent of masculine/feminine. It is about a timeless balance resonated with a modern no-nonsense. The looks are rendered through a minimal styling where the most precious Chanel element is at the centre: the tweed. Vibrant hues are merging the collection in a energetic mood: red, orange, pink, conferring a luminosity in balance with the heritage black and white of the maison.

Several looks feature a graphic version of Chanel letters interlaced with Parisian facades in a chromatic palette where dark and light blue play with the most soft pink creating a geometric-like motion. Easy going and flat heeled. The Chanel girl gang knows how to balance simplicity and romanticism.

Woolrich x N.Hoolywood

In collaboration with N.Hoolywood, Woolrich has allied with a contemporary counterpart. With salvaged vintage apparel being one of Obana’s career staples, N.Hoolywood’s creative director utilizes camouflage patterns to mix a sleek urbanity with Woolrich’s tried and true materials. With Woolrich transitioning from the more traditional side of clothing to a more contemporary aesthetic it is safe to say this collaboration has been mutually beneficial. Both brands went into this project with the same intention, to create garments that retained their style and comfort over a substantial period of time.

Their collection comprizes of four unique styles that juxtapose Woolrich’s signature check pattern with camouflage print, resulting in an all-over motif in shades of forrest green and steel grey. An oversized bomber jacket is a sure highlight from their fruitful collaboration, with deep pockets and neon mesh detail the look is as bold as its functionality. Classic Woolrich style is also readily apparent in a wool shirt reminiscent of their famous ‘Chief Petty Officer’ shirt worn by the US Navy, straying from conservatism for a new generation this iteration arrives in a multi-color palette. Complete with water-repellent down-vest, parka and nylon track pants; there is little left to be desired in weather-ready street-style.

Of the collection, released today, Obana was pleased with the outcome, saying “it was an experiment to see what happens if you combine the strength of weak points, the result was a beautiful pattern that I had never seen before.”

Isabel Marant SS20

The streets of Rio’s Copacabana through the work of iconic landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, a key figure of Brazilian modern art and design. His lifetime call for the preservation of Brazilian endangered forests, and his aesthetic influenced by peculiar attention to nature but also cubism, and abstract themes.

Isabel Marant Spring Summer 2020 celebrates this very special figure together with another two key South American artists: Colombian sculptor, painter and graphic artist Omar Rayo and Salvadorian painter Gennaro De Carvalho

The collection is imbued with geometrical motives next floral prints. Big ponchos worn over relaxed denim, cropped crochet tops, shorts matched with fluid shirts, jumpsuits. The collection is playful and sensual reminiscent of Marant’s love for both travel and the daring 70s allure.

Jewels are adorned with ropes and feather, charm-like accents adding that playful motion signature of the brand.

10 Years of Kaviar Gauche

In celebration of ten years since launching their bridal line, and fifteen years in the industry, Kaviar Gauche proved beyond doubt that modern German glamour is alive and well. When Kaviar Gauche first stepped on the scene in 2004 they were hosting a guerrilla fashion show on the doorstep of high-end Parisian department store, Colette. In those days the German design duo were finishing up their studies at Esmond University for Art and Fashion in Berlin. Since then Alexandra Roehler and Johanna Kühl, have caused a stir and paved the way for dreamy bridal wear and graceful ready to wear dresses.

Since its inception Kaviar Gauche has designed with great care and attention to detail. Icon, Heidi Klum turned heads in Kaviar Gauche as she walked the isle of her own wedding earlier this year. Their Paris Fashion Week Runway ’10 Years of Bridal Couture’ displays their effervescent signature, a downplayed glamour with tasteful hints of German design intuition and couture influence. With 24 looks, the show was a spectacle of German design prowess keeping their affinity for fine materials with delicate and uplifting tailoring in full focus. With metallic floral embroidery, silk organza and crystal fabrics every look spoke to the Gauche history and foreshadowed a bright future.

Alex Thomson’s new Yacht by BOSS

British sailor, Alex Thomson, is the face of modern greatness in sailing. Thomson is the youngest sailor in history to claim first place in circumnavigation. In doing so Thomson shattered three world recor¬¬ds and reinforced his reputation by placing second in the 2016/17 Vendée Globe. For next year’s Vendée Globe Thomson will race in a yacht built by BOSS. BOSS, along with friends, international guests and acclaimed celebrities baptised their new yacht on London’s historic Thames river. The ship was in development for two years, worked on tirelessly by Karim Rashid, known for his use of bright colors, painted the boat a neon pink. The yacht will be the first boat of its kind to feature neon pink accents, approved by the IMOCA or ‘International Monohull Open Class Association’. The yacht will be entered into the Vendé Globe in November 2020, helmed by Alex Thomson for his team ‘Alex Thomson Racing’. Poppy Delvingne would be the lucky one to break a champagne bottle on the ship’s bow, thus christening the racing yacht.

The race is both physically and mentally exhaustive and requires the upmost endurance. It is a test of courage and technical prowess in boating, the Vendée Globe is a single-handed non-stop yacht race around the world without any assistance. Thomson’s ‘BOSS’ yacht features solar panels that charge the ship’s battery, as well as its communication and navigation tools. With savvy engineering the panels will also remain functional in the Southern Ocean where direct sunlight is scarce. The ‘BOSS’ logo plays a structurally important role on the yacht’s light carbon fiber body, the foils on the yacht are also redesigned in a first for single-handed off-shore sailing. The wings on the exterior of the yacht’s bilge create the effect of flying or gliding over the ocean for maximum speed. With an immolating desire to reach his absolute potential and the right yacht to claim his victory with there isn’t much in this world that can stop Alex Thomson now.

Olivier Theyskens Pop-Up in Verso Antwerp

Verso, a restored 16th century mansion in Antwerp is where Olivier Theyskens (CFDA 2016 winner, formerly designer at Rochas, Nina Ricci and Theory) has chosen to open a pop-up for his FW19 collection. A dark cloud filled with rolling thunder, a rogue that strays far from the conventional herd, Theyskens’ women’s collection is as decadent as it is bold. Haute Couture is plunged into a future full of cascading butterfly lace dresses and ice pink satin offset by gothic jewellery and moiré linen. Theyskens’ own lambskin leather jackets and pleated trousers are soft to the touch yet visceral to the eye.

It comes as no surprise Theyskens has a fondness for Antwerp after the fashion museum, MoMu, unveiled a comprehensive retrospective of his career in 2017. Later, in early 2018 a monograph spanning Theyskens’ 20 year career was penned by MoMu’s head conservator Wim Mertens in collaboration with a range of experts including the New York Times’ chief fashion critic, Vanessa Friedman and two curators from Antwerp’s ModeMuseum. The book, published through Rizzoli was titled ‘Olivier Theyskens: She Walks in Beauty’. There is a home for world-class style, and as the old adage goes, home is where the heart is. Theyskens’ heart rests not in Paris, not in Milan but in the fashion mecca of Belgium, Verso.

The Pop Up embraces Antwerp just as it has embraced him, the FW19 release party will be held on Wednesday the 18th of September.

NYFW: Michael Kors Spring 2020

At 10am on September the 11th spirits were high at Brooklyn’s sun drenched Duggal Greenhouse. All-American optimism was the theme that Michael Kors sought to evoke with his Spring 2020 collection. Is there anything more reassuring of a bright future than the voices of children singing? With performances from the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, which aims to bring music into children’s lives no matter their circumstances, the theme of a typically unified New York could not have been stronger. Of the show Kors said “I am a native New Yorker and I wanted this show to highlight the strength and optimism and can-do attitude of our city – it is a celebration of the diversity of American style and beauty”. Guests were able to have their photo taken at a highly decorative showpiece picnic set before catching the show.

Collisions like preppy versus punk, luxury meeting relaxed nonchalance, all with precise tailoring so that nothing looks out of place. A midnight blue cotton pinstripe blazer effortlessly conveys a sense of formality while the white pick-stitches indicate fashion conscious craftsmanship to diffuse the stiffness of the conventional suit for a more relaxed demeanour. The women’s Spring 2020 collection shined, in particular a crimson crepe sablé dress glistened with silver star sequin embroidery, a taut waist seam and straight shoulder line postured the dress to be as elegant as it is commanding. An elusive and ineffable sense of hope for the future found a place to grow in that Brooklyn greenhouse

Jorinde Voigt: ‘Immersion’

Open Studio Berlin, members from the publishing house, Hatje Cantz and dozens of art lovers will gather tonight at the König Gallery to celebrate the launch of Jorinde Voigt’s new art book, ‘Immersion’. The book is a study of how intuition provides the framework for immersion, her nuances of text in an image with so much complexity in shape guides the eye and results in a better understanding of the art itself. In her new cycle of works, Immersion, artist Jorinde Voigt invigorates her on-going study of perception. Lena Kiessler of Hatje Cantz will be moderating the book release to properly celebrate the start of the eighth Berlin Art Week.

The book launch will take place across a number of countries but it will be honored in its vitality by a select few fine art institutions. The launch of ‘Immersion’ spans from Berlin to Houston Texas, where another release party will occur at Menil Drawing Institute. After teaching the art of conceptual drawing at Munich’s Academy of Fine Arts since 2014, Voigt felt it was only right that she pass on her refined understanding of shape and intuition. By Repeatedly feeling out her own thematic strengths, revisiting themes that reoccured in her art Voigt details and seemingly annotates her work for our benefit. When art captures our attention, holds our gaze, we often wonder what it was that really had that effect, with the launch of ‘Immersion’ this is exactly what Jorinde Voigt brings us closer to understanding

ALTES HAFENAMT: Hotel 25Hours

In contrast to the modern appearance of the surrounding Hafencity stands the Hotel 25Hours Altes Hafenamt, located in the oldest surviving building of the area. Inspired by the cozy style of a captain’s home, the hotel has a much more rustic and old-fashion flair. The Augsburg design team DREIMETA is responsible for the its new appearance, creating a harmonizing interplay of the old with the new. Historical details of the original building and nostalgic collectors pieces are used alongside new objects and exciting materials, allowing the building’s rich tradition to shine through in the most subtle manner.

The hotel Altes Hafenamt stands out amongst its hyper-modern surroundings. As the oldest and only remaining original building, it is a historical witness proudly showing its historic brick facade in dramatic contrast and exciting interplay of dimensions to the modern architecture of the 57-meter-high Cinnamon Tower, designed by Bolles & Willson.

The hotel’s offerings are completes with its restaurant NENI and the Boilerman Bar. Run by Haya Molcho, NENI is defined by its cosmopolitan soul food, drawing on the culinary traditions of the Arab world and Europe. NENI brings together tradition and the unexpected, marrying notions of heimant and wanderlust in a culinary experience, perfectly representative of Hamburg’s seafaring tradition and meeting point of different cultures. The Boilerman Bar is an unusual place with a defined casual character. Mainly focussing on rum, traditionally perceived as a typical seafarers’ drink, they offer fuss-free drinks of the highest quality, with Highballs being the house’s signature.

The 25Hours Hotel Altes Hafenamt offers an authentic and nostalgic experience of Hamburg, combining the contemporary needs of the urban nomad with a traditionally rustic character.

MARNI FW19: ‘Banana’ Sneakers

In a nod to Warhol’s pop art banana, Marni has crafted summer sneakers without complicating the design process, allowing playful and contemporary shape to guide them. Marni’s Fall/Winter 2019 riffs on the chunky sole shoe, adding a lightweight upper in polyester making the fit less restrictive. The Italian brand founded in ’94, showing no sign of slowing down, has opened up flagship stores this year in Tokyo and Munich to further align themselves with the styles of both cities.

Marni has contributed to emergent trends in a light-hearted way sure to catch passing eyes amid Fall/Winter festivities. The ‘Banana’ sneaker has plenty to like, putting a fresh twist on a familiar favourite with its thick rubber sole, pull-tab and minimalist features. Classic contrast and sparse amounts of color allow for this shoe to be worn with shorts, trousers, jeans or suit pants effortlessly. Marni continues its love affair with the world of the avant-garde while standing its ground in the realm of luxury.

The words quirky and elegant rarely find themselves next to one another, as odd as it sounds “quirky” and “elegant” fit the description of their ‘Banana’ shoe. Under the creative direction of Francesco Risso, Marni has not let its imagination outweigh its sensibilities. Their ‘Banana’ shoe makes for a valiant attempt to capture the essence of the unattainable, that which surprises at a glance time and time again. This shoe treads the line between standing out and fitting in to suit demand for smart-casual sneakers.

Moose Knuckles Canada FW19: 'Sacred Glacier'

Since its inception ten years ago the brand, Moose Knuckles Canada, offshoot of Moose Knuckles, has become a top of the line, weather-ready force to be reckoned with. Made of fine tailored, ethically sourced materials, their FW19 collection ensures that first step you take into the cold winter’s air will be one of confidence and excitement. Their new collection is accompanied by a clear message that life is not to be neglected and the time sensitive realities of our life-giving planet, not to be dismissed. They have also issued a vehement anti-fur statement explaining that they exclusively use faux fur.

With insulating fabrics and a growing legacy in outwear and exploratory gear, Moose Knuckles encourages wearers to throw themselves into life regardless of how great the challenge or how severe the weather. In a scenic and compelling video, made with Toronto’s acclaimed production house ‘Kid. Studio’, Dennis Rodman plays an Inuit with mystical powers. In the short fashion film he calls upon the human embodiments of seven deadly sins to enter his small fishing hut atop a slowly moving iceberg known as ‘the sacred glacier’ in the Nanavut territory. It is here the mystic Inuit performs a ritual that cleanses them of sin and sanctifies in them the true meaning of human existence.

The FW19 collection is a vehicle for Moose Knuckles Canada to remind viewers of the natural beauty in Earth’s eco-systems, and its vulnerability in today’s world. As the Amazon burns and giant glaciers in the artic melt, cooling our oceans, changing our weather patterns and making weather events more extreme and unpredictable, Moose Knuckles Canada urges us to involve ourselves more deeply in a reality freed from the mirth of apathetic tendencies technology can trap us in.

CELINE Haute Parfumerie

In 2004, Hedi Slimane helmed a trio of scents at Maison Dior, the first new fragrances launched by the Parisian Maison since 1947. Now at CELINE, as new Creative Director, Slimane continues his olfactory project with the launch of the first Haute Parfumerie collection, the house’s first return to the world of scents since its 1964 Vent Fou for women.

The collection, comprised of 11 perfumes, draws upon the rich tradition of French perfumery reviving the tradition of the ‘couturier parfumeur’ at the French Maison. The newly created scents reflect the characteristics and stylistic codes, which have defined Slimane’s career. Deliberately avoiding the labels of masculine or feminine, the compositions are a harmonic blend of traditionally masculine and feminine notes, challenging outdated notions of identity and masculinity.

Based on the Slimane’s olfactory jounal, the collection has a very sentimental and emotional core with each perfume reminiscent of a distinct memory, emotion, place or encounter. The complex and sophisticated scents, harmonize natural and high-quality materials, capturing the Parisian Spirit and the elegance of its couture heritage.

The first nine perfumes from CELINE’s first Haute Parfumerie collection will become availabe in the Fall 2019, with the remaining two fragrances being launched in 2020. www.celine.com

Fashion

Onitsuka Tiger x Christian Dada

Even after 70 years, Japanese brand Onitsuka Tiger has not lost a bit of appeal. Still a staple amongst streetwear enthusiasts and fashionistas alike, the iconic shoe combines the world of fashion and sports, its own heritage and innovation.

For the 70th anniversary, Onitsuka Tiger announced a series of special collaborations, with 7 distinct designers, one for every decade of its existence. For the third edition of this ongoing series, Christian Dada’s Masanori Morikawa gets the opportunity to leave his personal mark at the legendary Japanese brand.

The resulting piece, in Christian Dada’s signature color black, takes after Onitsuka Tiger’s iconic running shoe ‘Rebilac Runner’. In his signature fashion, Morikawa infuses his leather and mesh design with the references to Dadaism, such as the arrangement of the laces reminiscent of a crawling snake. Alongside the shoes, the collaboration also features a matching jacket and pants. In a culmination of functionality and design, Onitsuka Tiger’s distinct sporty vibe meets Christian Dada’s signature loose silhouette. In line with Dadaism, the jacket’s breast pocket and inner back pockets of the pants are adorned with rubber patches, carrying a statement.

The Onitsuka Tiger x Christian Dada collaboration will be available from August 26th in select shops and online.

BOSS x MEISSEN

With their joint capsule collection, two of Germany’s most prestigious brands come together. HUGO BOSS is a global player in the luxury fashion scene, whereas MEISSEN has enjoyed a premier status amongst the world’s porcelain manufacturers. Both houses have, since their foundations, unceasingly stood as embodiment of the German values of quality and innovative design and exported them all around the globe.

These shared core values have laid the foundation for the collaboration. The starting point for the unique capsule collection were MEISSEN’s Big Five figurines. Inspired by the angular style of traditional wooden African sculptures, they depict the continent’s rich wildlife in form of the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo

These majestic creatures appear as motifs in embroidered, jacquard and printed form on BOSS’ casual and formal pieces. The monochrome palette of black and white, heavily reminiscent of the porcelain aesthetic, is a direct visual reference to MEISSEN and its rich heritage, fused with HUGO BOSS’ signature craftsmanship and experience in garment construction.

Alongside the garments, the collection features a series of five limited-edition porcelain mugs featuring the same aesthetic. In recognition of the underlying theme, HUGO BOSS pledges a donation to Elephants for Africa, a charity focussing on the conservation of the iconic species.

The capsule collection of BOSS Mens and Womenswear will be available in BOSS and MEISSEN stores around the globe.

CARRIE and IVA: Maison Héroïne for Work and Play

Since 2016 Maison Héroïne has created bags for all settings, bridging the gaps between work and play, fashion and function. Working with the finest Italian leathers the Milanese designer, Marta Vitali, has created the new norm for professional women the world over. Maison Héroïne has a polished simplicity and elegance about their design that can be viewed as a statement piece or a means of convenient organization poised for greatness in a workplace setting.

The forms and shapes of Maison Héroïne’s designs keep tablets and notebooks in mind, the modern woman carries both and should not have to compromise her elegance for either. The sleek design and care that IVA encapsulates throws the focus back on the wearer, if less is more then IVA does the most, in Italian brick red suede or sleek black leather, even an expressive gold it does what other bags cannot and does it with spectacular ease. CARRIE, on the other hand is sure to be everywhere in offices from New York to Paris just in time for Summer. Worn as a cross-body, belt-bag or clutch, coloured in ‘deep berry prugna’ among others, CARRIE is at the cutting edge of women’s workwear.

Panthère de Cartier

The days of the wristwatch as functional items are over. Wearing a watch is not about being able to tell the time, it is a statement, an essential part of your accessories, especially if it comes from the Parisian house Cartier.

The French house keeps redefining and reinventing its products, iconic models are instilled with new energy through creativity and innovative design in an ever-evolving stream of ideas. Ultra-feminine in spirit, the two new interpretations of the Panthère de Cartier celebrate the essence of Cartier, a daring and triumphant elegance.

Inspired by the original, both the styles are a play on proportion, combining signature features, such as the Roman numerals or the iconic soft square shape with a new and contemporary housing. The Manchette accentuates the flowing bracelet of the watch. The dial is set slightly off-centered in a bracelet-styled, open-worked chain to create a casual yet stylish piece. As the name suggests, the Mini Watch is kept very close to the original. Smaller in size, the watch keeps the original’s elegant appearance, making it a well-suited pairing for several bracelets.

Mindspace's Office Revolution

With the progression of time, it is natural that certain things are bound to change. Letters, typewriters and CDs are just a few examples of objects that have all fallen victim to the changing times and the traditional office space might be the next on the list to disappear.

Flexibility is key in all the facets of today’s work environment. Staff is moving around the office space freely changing between different teams and projects, freelancers and outside contributors come and go and different yet congenial businesses are working alongside each other to enhance each other’s expertise and network. The traditional lease model for office space just does not seems to suitable to fit these new requirements.

Mindspace has become the leading ‘office-as-service’ provider in the world, with almost thirty locations in major global cities. They revolutionized the modern office, creating high-end, yet affordable and flexible shared workspaces, comfortable lounges and efficient conference rooms, enabling creative businesses to work alongside each other and thrive from within the same building. Mindspace’s commitment to a new and vibrant workspace extends beyond the premises, offering its tenants a range of in house wellness-, lifestyle- and professional programs for an efficient yet pleasant work environment.

By opening more locations worldwide and with 8 different locations within the Netherlands, Mindspace continues to support businesses so they can continue to grow and thrive within their industries.

New DIOR Boutique on the Champs-Elysées

For a brand of DIOR’s magnitude, it is a question of prestige to have a presence in certain select locations worldwide. This becomes even more important if said location happens to be the birthplace of the house. With the majestic display of its new boutique on the world’s most beautiful avenue, the Champs Elysées, the house of DIOR pays homage to the French capital and its special bond city.

The three-story space is a reflection of core DIOR values, a testament to the house’s savoir-faire and a journey to the heart of the House’s modernity and heritage. In a tribute to the DIOR’s iconic address, the façade of 30 Avenue Montaigne is reprised on an immense, entirely handmade drape at the heart of the Champs-Elysées.

Inside the store, a staircase unfurls like a ribbon in an ode to the curves so loved by its founder, whilst pristine white toiles usually locked away in the DIOR ateliers compose a poetic fresco.

The new boutique adorned with symbols of Christian Dior offers a timeless and contemporary atmosphere for its customers to discover the houses Men’s and women’s ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as jewelry and footwear, fragrances and Dior Maison designs. Additionally, the store features an in-store workshop offering a broad range of new personalization services, completed on the spot within an hour. Animated with new launches and pop-ups, DIOR presents an immersive and innovative concept of luxury.

For the opening of its new boutique, DIOR presents an exclusive preview of the Check’N’Dior collection with two exclusive variations of the DiorCamp and a silk scarf in tropical toile de Jouy specially designed for the Paris address.

Implicit Tensions: Mapplethrope Now

Robert Mapplethrope counts amongst the most critically acclaimed artists of the late twentieth century. Most notably, Mapplethrope is known for his black-and-white portrait photography and his documentation of New York’s S&M scene in the late 70s. His provocative images were never created with the purpose to shock, but out of a curiosity to explore and showcase the unknown. For the 30th anniversary of his passing, the Guggenheim Museum dedicates a yearlong, two-part exhibition to Mapplethorpe’s groundbreaking work, which deliberately kept challenging the social norms of the time.

Whereas the first phase of Explicit Tensions showcased the Guggenheim’s large collection of Mapplethrope’s work, the second part is focussed on the artist’s lasting legacy. In the ensuing decades, Mapplethorpe’s treatment of under-represented communities and homoerotic desire have raised questions about the agency of the photographic subject and initiated complex conversations about the fine line separating representation and objectification.

To honor Mapplethorpe’s critical contributions, the Guggenheim showcases the work of six artists, that engage various approaches of exploring identity through the medium of photography. The six chosen artists were Lyle Ashton Harris, Glenn Ligon, Zanele Muholi, Catherine Opie and Paul Mpagi Sepuya.

The second part of Implicit Tensions: Mapplethrope Now will be open to the public from July 24, 2019 until January 5, 2020.

SCHUELLER DE WAAL Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019

Dutch Design studio SCHUELLER DE WAAL continues to unfold their story of ‘Fashion Therapy’ and opts once again for a different kind of presentation during Paris Haute Couture 2019/2020. In collaboration with Pik Pik Environnement, they present the first Collaborative Cleaning Initiative named ‘Litter’.

Rather than changing a location to be able to accommodate a fashion show, SDW Studio created an initiative that has a positive effect on the location itself. Dressed in an eclectic range of cleaning uniforms, a group of 50 models, cool kids and volunteers started picking up trash in the public square in front of the town-hall in an upbeat cleansing fashion performance.

The workwear inspired overalls pick up on the concept of re-purposing. They are made from patchworks of leftover fabrics and past collection pieces in an effort to avoid the unnecessary waste of resources. The collection is a clashing combination of couture and workwear, recontextualizing past pieces whilst supplementing the insufficient samples and leftovers of luxurious fabrics with re-creations made from office-and household materials.

Most of the cleaning uniforms were finished off by safety shoes by the Dutch brand EMMA Safety Footwear, chosen for its Corporate Social Responsibility mission. www.schuellerdewaal.com

Fashion

Thom Browne Spring/Summer 2020

Thom Browne is a master in creating a dream-like surreal mise en scène. For Spring/Summer 2020 he imagined a garden as out of Marie Antoinette’s summer residence.
At our arrival at the spectacular Ècole des Beaux-Arts we saw what looked like full-scale statues standing on small podiums, at its center a adorable cherub fountain jetting seersucker gush instead of water. The statues, wearing 2D visualization of garments — that we will later discover — we’re no other than part of the collection looks soon to be unveiled.
Coming to a closer look to discern the intricacy of the composition, we all realized they were actually real models.
Part of the fantasy — one of the principal of the American Ballet Theater — is James Whiteside, dancing magnificently as the models walked in.

The signature Thom Browne fabric, seersucker, is declined in pastel colors: light blue, aqua, pink, yellow, but also in navy and red. At times flower embroideries blossomed, recalling the summer garden we were merged in.

The silhouettes at time reinventing the XVIII century gowns: dilated hips, achieved by panniers, the corseted waist well below the natural waistline, the deep décolletage, the drapery-parted opening of the skirt to reveal underskirts, petticoats, or a dress. Elements that Oriole Cullen - Furniture, Textiles and Fashion Department, Victoria and Albert Muse address as a measure of eighteenth-century theatricality and sensuality.

In Thom Browne Spring/Summer 2020 all these elements are transformed and reinvented: the décolletage is turned in a graphic representation of blazers lapels, the underskirt in exaggerated culottes, the petticoat is rendered only by its naked structure. In classic Thom Browne fashion, he has always loved to merge couture elements in his work.

A whimsical collection as a refreshing dive into a dream-like world, like the breathtaking James Whiteside’s grand jeté.

Yohji Yamamoto Men's Spring Summer 2020

Yohji Yamamoto has the power to fill us all with emotions no matter what. The languid sound of voice and guitar accompanying the slow pace walk of the models. I actually dreamed of an even slower motion walk, just to capture better the passionate handwritten notes, verses, all over the collection. At times I could reach one - if lucky few - words. They felt like notes of protest, a reminder to take action. Visceral and poetic.

Powerful brush stokes by Yohji himself all over, hand painted faces at the back of coats and jackets. And images of what it looked like a sunset. Or was it a hellish landscape?

The artwork is by Yuuka Asakura who has collaborated with Yohji Yamamoto since 2016.

Don’t ask Yohji the reason why he used these elements, he might answer: “just because”. He doesn’t like the overly explained commentaries of what he creates, the fashion journalism that is obsessed to ask “why” without feeling his clothes. He might let you believe it was just an aesthetic gesture on a whim.

The truth is that Yohji Yamamoto has been reflecting on the meaning of our existence and on the future of our planet since a while. Breaking the boundaries of gender already since decades. He is one of the greatest poets of our time. Although he will tell you he is just a dressmaker.

Berluti Spring Summer 2020

The iconic Alessandro shoes have been a source of inspiration since the beginning for Kris Van Assche at Berluti. The headquarters marble table in Ferrara where the shoes receive the special patina, and its coloured stains were rendered on suits already for the Fall Winter 2019 debut collection at the house. For Berluti Spring Summer 2020 Kris Van Assche intensifies the same colour palette with more brilliant hues channelling the rebellious spirit we are acquainted with: intense violet, cobalt blue, fluo orange, yellow.

During last season’s debut collection Van Assche talked about carefully finding the new codes for Berluti in beautiful excellent crafted clothes but with a new energy and seductive allure.

For Spring Summer 2020 Van Assche adds little by little new elements together with confirming what already proposed, building up a language made of details, where heritage meets modernity, also declined in Women’s looks. Like the zip at the bottom of tailored pants to underline the presence of the shoes Alessandro in the version Diamond already available for Fall and the new design with a sneaker sole - Alessandro Edge. Or the house’s legendary scritto motif – a 19th century old manuscript from Berluti’s archive – printed on jacquard suits, shirts and leather pieces.

Kris Van Assche also expands Berluti silhouettes: suits jackets are often sleeveless or paired with bermuda. If we see motocross pants added to Berluti’s vocabulary - further driving in the direction of Van Assche love for New Wave rock - the women’s suits counterpart are declined with ostrich feathers, channelling a delicate femininity, a game of contrasts.

We applaud to the brave spirit of Van Assche and we are already looking forward to next season’s new staples.

Dior Homme Spring Summer 2020

The notion of time, stretched and relative, where past and future are intertwined. It’s the idea of imagining our present in thousand of years, “the past of the future”.

Approaching the show venue of Dior Homme for Spring Summer 2020 we saw a clock eroded by time, almost crumbling as we speak, few steps further a desk, two chairs, some books as touched by decades, perhaps centuries. All in white, reminiscent of 1971 George Lucas’ “THX1138”: the same eerie white, looking at our far future where human might have almost completely disappeared.

For Dior Spring Summer 2020 Kim Jones worked together with artist Daniel Arsham to create the set and atmosphere surrounding the show. The American artist has been working around the concept of “fictional archaeology”, taking iconic objects of Dior heritage, including objects from Monsieur Christian Dior’s life as gallerist, his interest in art and his office being a central place, and imagining how they will be in 10000 years, replicating a geological transformation. Like the huge letters forming the word DIOR on the catwalk: they look like they are falling apart but if you look closer there are crystals growing in their fractures, perhaps leading to a new completion of the letters.

It’s an interesting coincidence how exactly around this period of the year, precisely the 30th of June, almost 115 years ago, Albert Einstein formulated his special relativity theory, reshaping the concept of time.

Kim Jones has always been fascinated by the concept of time channelling his imagination of future, technology and of travel he has created a strong impact on his poetic.

For Dior Homme 2020 Kim Jones explored transparency, feather-like garments but also combined with sculptural elements where the leather pieces are cut and sliced like it would be if they were cut by a frieze machine. Starting by printing from the inner side of the garment and then constructing the whole piece with layering the singular elements on the outside. It is like a modern way of sculpting and almost like contemporary embroidery.

Another wonderful couture technique is the different panels hand pleated silk crepe put together and applied on jackets and tops. Hand tacked into the organza base, pinned together to create different directions of curved surfaces, almost like geomagnetic field. The plissé panels were dyed by hand and then each applied on the singular garment to control each the sense of movement, almost feeling like a liquid surface.

Beautiful shades of grey, bubblegum pink, royal blue, neon orange, white: the entire colour palette felt modern and alluring. Alluring as the first collaboration with Rimowa presenting a capsule collection, including a champagne case, a backpack, a clutch and a cabin suitcase.

Kim Jones also continued the idea of draped volant sashes in jackets from Fall Winter 2019, now declined in beautiful floor swiping length marking the pink sand floor of the set.

Cindy Sherman at the National Portrait Gallery

Without any doubt, Cindy Sherman is one of the most influential artists in contemporary art, with a career spanning from the mid-‘70s to the present. In her photographs, she explores artistic manipulation of self-appearance and photography’s complex relationship between façade and identity, which, in the world of social media, seems more relevant than ever.

In an eponymous exhibition, comprising around 180 of her images, the National Portrait Gallery presents a major retrospective on Cindy Sherman’s career. Central to the exhibition is the critically acclaimed series, Untitled Film Stills, which is shown to the UK public for the first time. This series, realized between 1977 and 1980, is Cindy Sherman’s first artistic work, commenced shortly after her move to New York. In 70 images, whose overall flair is heavily inspired by the staged aesthetic of ‘50s and ‘60s Hollywood, as well as film noir and European art-house film, Sherman captures fictional situation, inspired by the conventions of yesterday’s cinema. Cindy Sherman truly was an image creator. She did not only assume the role as photographer, but also model, set designer and hair and makeup artist.

Through sharp observation, her work scrutinizes contemporary life and exposes it as a world of pure appearance, denouncing all its facades and deceptions.

The exhibition Cindy Sherman will be open to the public from 27 June to 15 September at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Karl For Ever

On June 20th, the houses of Chanel, Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld came together to pay homage to an extraordinary career and the man behind it. As much as Karl Lagerfeld lived in the moment and refused to look back into the past, nobody could possibly begrudge the industry for taking a moment to dwell on the lasting memory Lagerfeld left behind.

In the Grand Palais in Paris, over 2500 guests came together to witness a spectacle staged by Robert Carsen in Lagerfeld’s honor. Countless celebrities from film, fashion and music alike took the time out of their busy schedules to take part in this event.

Through testimonials and compelling videos, shot throughout his life, and portraits, from some of the most famous photographers, we get a last impression of this multi-faceted man, who refused to be defined by anyone. Alongside performances by world-renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang and American artist Pharrell Williams, the actresses and close personal friends Tilda Swinton, Fanny Ardant, Cara Delavingne and Helen Miren recited and read excerpts from his favorite authors, Virginia Woolf, Stéphane Mallarmé and Edith Sitwell.

In an exceptional moment, the industry says its last farewell to a man of incredible talent, who has undeniably left a lasting mark in an inherently fast-paced and ephemeral industry.

Fashion

Marcelo Burlon County of Milan Spring/Summer 2020

Italian fashion has a certain inherently elegant quality that has been established by its grand houses and their rich tradition. Marcelo Burlon does not fit this mold of Italian fashion. Traditional Italian elegance is replaced with a gritty urban aesthetic, closer to streetwear than couture.
Marcelo Burlon takes a techno-approach for his new season, starting with his choice of materials. Modern fibers, such as iridescent coated nylon and paper-like resin tech cotton are crafted into garments suited for the hyper-accelerated needs of a contemporary lifestyle.

Throughout his collection, sometimes evoking references to ‘90s acid culture, Marcelo Burton continues to refuse the pre-set rules and lets extremes collide, showcasing them side-by-side. Technical cycling garments, do not just inject an element of body consciousness, but also infuse traditional tailoring techniques for an eclectic hyper-modern look.
To underline his techno-approach, Edoardo Tresoldi build a modern and impressive wire mesh cathedral as a runway for the show.

Additionally, Marcelo Burlon used his platform to denounce Italy’s increasingly xenophobic political climate. In an effort to give back to the community and in support of tolerance, Marcelo Burlon sets a sign by casting a considerable number of first-generation Italians of African descent and inviting 300 local kids to the show.

FENDI Spring/Summer Menswear 2020

The inspiration behind the FENDI Spring/Summer 2020 Menswear becomes apparent at first sight. The location itself, the handsome gardens of the Villa Reale, acted as a first hint, reinforced by the show’s opening look, a workwear inspired overall rounded off with a clipping basket and gloves to achieve the desired gardening look.

Silvia Venturini Fendi is said to be a passionate gardener herself and she translates this passion as the starting point for her creative journey. Running through the collection like a red thread, the gardening references are not always as literal as in the opening look, but are instead infused with a certain lightness and the exquisite FENDI elegance. The natural materials, in a natural earthy color palette with soft greens, are combined with floral motifs to fit Silvia Venturini Fendi’s nature-inspired vision.

Luca Guadagnino, a long term friend of the designer comes aboard as guest artist. His help was invaluable in the design process. Not only did he provide sketches - that later acted as inspiration for some of the prints and introduced elements of the almost formal Japanese workwear - but his input was also invaluable in terms of art direction, show location and the soundtrack, which was composed by Japanese Ryuichi Sakamoto.

M1992 Spring/Summer 2020

References to the world of celebrity cult and fame are found throughout Dorian Tarantini’s newest collection for M1992. Keeping with the fame theme, paparazzi, limousines, private jets and holiday destinations become photo prints repeating themselves on shirts across the whole collection.

In his work, the designer deliberately adds a dose of tackiness, as the allover Swarovski glitz, challenging the slim boundary between glamour and tackiness, so closely related to the world of fame. Adding to the overall fame theme, Tarantini’s work has a very apparent ‘50s and Sixties aesthetic. M1992 combines the sharp tailoring reminiscent of the ‘50s rebels with a ’60s-inspired silhouette, to create neat garments and faultlessly tailored suits evoking a genuinely rebellious vibe. This quality is underlined by the use of buckles and chains to outline the sharp silhouettes.

The necktie acts as the starting point for the designer’s creative journey. In collaboration with Neapolitan manufacturer Marinella, Tarantini presents his new take on the most corporate and conservative men’s accessory, revealing a surprisingly progressive quality in it. The collaborative aspect does not only limit itself to the ties, but also includes an adjustable case for a tablet. In collaboration with HP, this multi-functional bag will be limited to only 80 pieces available through an online contest.

Anatomy of Romance

It is not unusual for a collection to take a year from being unveiled on the catwalk until being available to the customers in store. As the focus is already shifting towards next year’s seasons, brands capture our attention by reviving and readapting the spectacle of their catwalk shows in elaborate advertising campaigns.

Italian brand Prada captures the spirit of the Fall/Winter 2019 men’s and women’s collections by exploring the ideas and ideals of romance as human emotion and an artistic movement. Photographed by Willy Vanderperre, the campaign’s tender imagery, under the title Anatomy of Romance, evokes a romantic atmosphere through the surroundings and the figures within.

In a modern romantic metaphor, Prada investigates the complex co-existence of men and women as well as the wild natural and the urban industrial. The panoramas display different figures of the diverse and multifaceted cast, including new faces and established talents, in intriguing moments of intimacy, allowing endless interpretations of their entwined destinies. Anatomy of Romance is an extension of the designer’s aesthetic vision, created for a modern romance, for modern romantics.

Berluti Shadow

Nowadays, everybody is wearing sneakers. Previously reserved for certain youth cultures and athletes, the sneaker has evolved into an absolute must-have item in every shoe closet. Following the likes of other global brands, Italian shoemaker Berluti presents its first ever sock sneaker, the Shadow.

The brand’s forward-thinking and innovative attitude takes shape in a sneaker, defined by its impeccable lightness and durability, deriving from the use of durable and light nylon knit. The Shadow collection is Berluti’s latest undertaking to present a sophisticated alternative to formal footwear. They merge Berluti’s outstanding know-how and craftsmanship with the contemporary athleisure aesthetic and a modern attitude.

Available in classic black, navy and minimalist white the sneaker suits a variety of tastes and urban styles, whilst guaranteeing core Berluti ‘Made in Italy’ values.

Max Mara Resort 2020

Over the last thirty years, ever since the fall of the Berlin wall, the German capital has experienced a period of renaissance. Countless creatives and visionaries have left their mark upon the city to shape it as one of Europe’s true hubs for art, architecture and design. All the recent contributions to contemporary culture revive the avant-garde spirit established a century ago by the radically modern Bauhaus movement. No other city seems more adequate to mark a new beginning.

His fascination with the German capital has influenced creative director Ian Griffiths’ selection of Berlin as the Max Mara Resort 2020 destination. Both of his Berlin idols, Marlene Dietrich and David Bowie are everpresent throughout the show. They become eponymous with Max Mara’s new brand spirit, defying imposed conventions, being classic not conservative. Max Mara presents itself edgy and refreshed by employing hand-made looking fabrics and using the idea of frayed selvages as fringes.

The Neue Museum Berlin, with its priceless artifacts, offered the perfect scenery for this tribute to Berlin, as it syncs with the collection’s sandy and earthy color palette and gave inspiration for the first Max Mara jewelry collection designed by Reema Pachachi. Expertly crafted pieces, such as the pure white Berlin coat, a tribute to Meissen porcelain, were rounded out with a selection of sculpted bracelets, necklaces and earrings.

With the selection of this historical location and the Marlene Dietrich-inspired performance of German singer Ute Lemper, Max Mara pays homage to the past. The collection itself acts as a springboard into the future and modernity, redefining Max Mara’s effortless chic for a new generation.

New Outdoor Label by Woolrich

The phenomenon of Ametora, meaning American tradition, first landed on Japan's shores as early as the 1980s with the arrival of the East Coast Ivy League style. At first, only referring to Ivy, this phenomenon swept over the Japanese islands time and time again, always bringing along another American style, from California surfer to hip-hop style.

Historic American brand Woolrich writes the next chapter in this Japanese-American exchange with the unveiling of its New Outdoor Label. In cooperation with renowned Japanese outdoor brand Goldwin, Woolrich redefines and replaces their iconic American outdoor line. Inspired by a new notion of balance between humanity and nature, the design team unveils a subtle 80's and 90's throwback sports concept, defined by functionality and minimalism, comprising a number reimagined staples, among others parkas, jackets and vests. The principally neutral color palette, at times adorned with hues of sunrise and sunset, as well as water and sky-blue, blends perfectly with a variety of backdrops, from the peaceful nature of forest to the busy city life.

LOEWE & the Elephants

LOEWE cares for natural preservation and the well-being of endangered species. Creative director Jonathan Anderson expressed his compassion by partnering with Knot On My Planet last year to support the Elephant Crisis Fund. The resulting elephant-shaped bag aimed to raise awareness and to set a clear sign condemning the demand and trafficking of ivory.

The elephant motif has remained with the house ever since, as just this year, Iconic Disney character Dumbo the Elephant gave inspiration for a limited edition capsule collection. The elephant-motif will now available hand-size in form of a phone case, as a continuation of the expertly crafted line of elephant-shaped bags. This case, adorned with an elephant’s head, is just the latest embodiment of LOEWE’s campaign fuelled by its love for elephants.www.loewe.com

Art

Exhibition Brigitte Waldach

German artist Brigitte Waldach has gained national and international reputation over the last few years due to her large format drawings and installations. She creates pieces that exceed the two-dimensional canvas, combining bands and strings, drawings, sounds and text into a multi-sensual experience. The installation EXISTENZ, making use of the interplay of bands and strings, creates an interconnection between her works and elevates them to a new dimension.

Famous for her work on existential and sociopolitical subjects, the dynamic tangle of strings represent the relations between time and space, life and death as well as individuality and collective. Having found inspiration in the thinking and work of Felix Nussbaum, his presence and words become ever-present, at times through personal words or letters or through reference to key moments in his life, so closely tied with fate of the German Jewish community in the 20th century.

The exhibition showcases the artist’s combination of notions of the past and present with biographical components. The exhibition is open until the 10th of November in the Felix-Nussbaum-Haus in Osnarbrück.

Fashion

Dunhill Aquarium Limited Edition Capsule Collection

London-based house Dunhill looks back into its past and rediscovers a series of hand-painted illustrations first introduced with the Aquarium lighters in 1949. They received their name, due the material's optical reflection of the light, giving them the appearance of a large fish tank. These intricate nature-inspired motifs of fish and birds, were re-contexualised and reimagined as prints for a series of modern pieces, such as bombers, swim short or sneakers.

As expressed by Mark Weston, the whole collection expresses a certain tension in parts due to the old reinterpreted in new forms, the ageing motifs with a newfound relevance, so as the Art deco inspired motifs on hand-painted lighters become fabric prints for items such as belt bag.

Despite the new polished format of these prints, Dunhill keeps in touch with their origins. Aside the summery capsule collections of modern clothes, they also feature an exclusive revamp of the original lighter, using the same traditional methods and a exquisite palladium or gold plated finish. This very limited edition only consists of 15 lighters per colorway, each individually engraved and numbered.

Anthropometry

One year after his passing, multifaceted artist Getulio Alviani, pioneer in the movement of kinetic art and Op-Art, was celebrated in the framework of the 58th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale. In the spirit of Alviani’s vision, the Palazzo Barbaro on the Grand Canal is transformed into an interdisciplinary exhibition Anthropometry combining art, fashion, jewelry music and theatrical performance, perfectly staged during the opening vernissage featuring live performances of Brazilian actress Lìgia Cortez and famous eclectic virtuoso Olen Cesari.

The dress “Cerchio + Quadrato” worn during Cortez’s performance shows that Alviani’s collaborations in the field of fashion, springing from the research of avant-garde materials and technologies, with designer Germana Marucelli are one of the focal points. By applying his visual experimentations with light and optical illusions to sartorial endeavours, designer Marucelli constructs wearable pieces of art, transforming and evolving with movement and in relation to the body that wears them.

The exhibition is open to the public until the 30th of May in the Palazzo Barbaro in Venice.

Fashion

#MYCALVINS

Calvin Klein launches their new #MYTRUTH campaign, creating an additional stage for some of the most influential voices to tell their story in their own words while inviting the world to do the same. A campaign that fits the brands’ provoke history and celebrates freedom and self-expression.
The campaign is a call to action to speak your mind, creating a movement with artists like A$AP Rocky, Bella Hadid, Billie Eilish, Kendell Jenner, Shawn Mendes, Troye Sivan and many others.
The campaign will be released worldwide in installments beginning on May 9th #MYTRUTH #MYCALVINS

Art

ES Exhibition - JOHAN TAHON, TILL LINDEMANN, SANDOR LUBBE

‘The collective unconscious consists of the sum of the instincts and their correlates, the archetypes. Just as everybody possesses instincts, so he also possesses a stock of archetypal images.’ - CARL GUSTAV JUNG

Following on from the mighty success of the 2018 retrospective exhibition at the Bonnefanten Museum in the Netherlands ‘Wir uberleben das Licht’, which documented Belgium visual artist Johan Tahon’s career exploring the physical and the philosophical through the art form of sculpting, New York now hosts ES.

From 29th March through to the 18th May 2019, a unique opportunity to experience the work of Johan Tahon and his collaborations presents itself to the public. Sculpture, poetry and photography all coalesce to form an immersive, united exhibition.

Sharing the same sensibilities and sentiments as Johan Tahon, German frontman Till Lindermann of Rammstein has specifically written poems to accompany the exhibition. Our editor-in-chief Sandor Lubbe’s photography also plays a part alongside Tahon’s pieces, the culmination from which ES has developed.

Wednesday to Saturday 18:00-20:00 at 87 Rivington Street, New York, the exhibition at 'Empirical Nonsense' runs from 29th – 18th May 2019.

NAO At Paradiso

The effect of NAO’s sound, songwriting and stage presence can be firstly be described as physically impactful. Soul-splitting, heart-wrenching lyrics paired with a vocal ability on par with the R&B greats leave an unexpected bodily impression that hits you direct in the gut. Bold and boundless, NAO taps into all shades of the human experience in a honest, exposing way that escapes any risks of pretension or disingenuinity.

NAO very much takes the reigns of the show at Paradiso, Amsterdam, ensuring that the experience is truly a shared one, not merely a screen projected for the audience to neutrally detach from. Riffing with the crowd, she guides them through a full orbit of emotions, through every peak and trough, celebrating all the experiences symptomatic of the human condition. ‘A Life Like This’ and ‘Another Lifetime’ are particularly striking, stop you in your tracks and capture your heart.

This intensity would most certainly be too overwhelming if it were not for the dam-like burst of unrelenting joy in ‘Get To Know Ya’, ‘If You Ever’ and ‘Inhale/Exhale’ as NAO joyously bounces around the stage, actively engaging the audience to the point where you catch your unwitting grin begin to ache. ‘Drive and Disconnect’ is just effortlessly cool. This ability as a performer is only supported by an exemplary sense of musicality, phrasing and rhythm. Her vocal acrobatics are nothing short of impressive, particularly in the melismatic stretching from the piercingly high then dipping into a resounding, hearty register.

There is no sense of censorship or false cultivation. NAO genuinely feels like a passion artist, writing and singing for the sheer love of and need for it, relishing in the live experience and exhibiting a colorful, refreshing force of unshackled expression as she does so.

NAO is a English musician from East-London currently touring her second studio album around Europe, ‘Saturn’, the follow up to her debut ‘For All We Know’. Her style is self-described as ‘wonky funk’ fusing the electronic with the soulful. Having performed with the likes of Bon Iver, Lauryn Hill and Nile Rodgers to date, she has very early on established herself as a promising musician to look out for.

Louis Vuitton Womenswear Fall 2019/2020

Not many knows that when in 1977 the iconic Centre Pompidou opened its doors the Parisians were so shocked that the museum had to arrange clowns and jugglers playing in front of its doors to loosen up the mood and invite more visitors in. The citizen didn’t like the radical architecture designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers – at the time partners – featuring a stile later defined “Bowellism”, where the cable and pipe systems usually kept inside a building were infact exposed.

When entering the Louvre’s Pyramid, slowly approaching Louis Vuitton’s show venue Cour Carrée, we saw a humongous blue pipe running across the courtyard. Little we knew that inside the temporary structure built for the show we would find all the elements and colors of Centre Pompidou’s façade, more pipes, hundreds of them, as set for the show. A Museum in the Museum.

Nicolas Ghesquiere mentioned the beauty of controversy as his inspiration, the need to address colliding elements and the famous Pompidou colors came back in the clothes: the yellow, blue, red, all together.

The collection had a strong 80s references, with its graphic ruffled shoulders and dresses, the ankles boots worn with tights, the silver and glitters, the high-waist carrot shaped trousers and frill skirts. The iconic damier motif was presented in skirts and leather caps.

A bit 80s disco, a bit punk, a bit 80s power feminism. Ghesquiere presented the modern thirst for diversity and an eclectic look far from a put-together one.

The accessories presented some interesting novelties hinting to architectural references and a classic attire: like the flat large bag appearing in look 9 in grey and declined in brown in look 16, apparently Ghesquiere’s favourite bag of the season.

It was a daring collection and we are looking forward to see Louis Vuitton’s client picking and mixing elements.

CELINE Fall/Winter 2019

At the Winter 2019 show in Paris, Hedi Slimane premieres his winter collection for Celine. Whilst distancing himself from his predecessor, Slimane still manages to meet the brand’s iconic style somewhere aptly in the middle. A solid and stable collection displays a wearable collection of blazers, jeans, sweaters and skirts with a consistent thread of colour and fabric throughout.

It would be hard to miss the references to the 70s. The palette is unmistakably so, camels outer-layers are naturally paired with browns. Creams and denims all tie together with thick knee-high boots. Scrunchy leather boots, wide lapel blazers and aviators play up to this feel also.

Although Slimane’s typical staple is largely subverted by virtue of not having included his characteristic tight and short style, his touch is palpable and present. Leather jackets, the occasional dash of sequins and soft trimmings are identifiable and for a first collection, it is harmonious and marks a strong, clear foundation for evolution in the brand.

A Retrospective of Icons

KENZO La Collection Memento N ° 4 presents a selection from it’s stunning emblematic archive by putting the most creative printed prints on the map again. Both the fun and whimsical side of Kenzo Takada is clearly presented. His striking attitude towards fashion, his partiality for food and above all entertainment form a broad palette of inspiration.

Historical icons such as the tiger (coming from the men's collection spring-summer 1991), appears this season again in new expressions and embellishments. The tiger is KENZO's eternal dedication, a symbol of strength, something that must always be there to move on. Photorealistic airbrush tigers are made in two colors on T-shirts, sweaters or shirts of cotton poplin. The "running tiger motif" and the "spring tiger" (from the women's autumn-winter collection 1983) are extravagantly released in gold, burgundy and leopard prints, depicted on the "Jungle" bomber jackets, dresses and knitted tops and skirts.

Secondly, do you remember besides the tiger, the other iconic symbol? It is the hyper real painted tomato in either red or yellow. The tomatoes became big in KENZO’s Spring Summer men’s collection in 1992. The tomatoes are pictured on comfy cotton pieces, short sleeve archival smock dresses and mesh shirts.

Lastly this new edition of prints also introduces great line of bags – bumbags, backpacks, totes and the reversible “Knot” bag – also printed on caps and slip on trainers.

This innovative and exciting collection embodies KENZO's valuable design heritage, which can continuously adapt to the latest trends.

Re interpreting Dior’s “New Look”

Each collection of Dior forms a new alchemy born of a confrontation between images, bodies, silhouettes and language. By reconnecting these elements over and over again, a new contemporary spirit emerges. It is a new gateway to reinventing the wealth and style codes that have made the Dior atelier so big.

Artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri went back to the 1950s and used the pioneering "New Look" as a new research object in combination with an feminine counterpoint: the Teddy Girls.

The teddy girls were brutal characters originated from Edwardian times and were at odds with everything that was the norm. The women were rebellious; they wore leather men's coats, velvet scarves, and large skirts. This counter reaction created a new female fashion perspective. Princess Margaret was at this time the leading icon of the trend by being one of the first who worn creations from Dior’s "New Look" line.

There is obviously a clear fascination with the mix of English classicism and subversion, elegance and rebellion that can also be seen in the exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, now at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The concept of the "New Look" has now been applied to extremely elegant sportswear. The collection is a tribute to the heritage of Dior equipped in the codes of our time. The iconic silhouette of the Miss Dior dress has been re-released and radiates artistic strength and grace. Evening dresses are made out of bodysuits and skirts with embroidery and transparent sequins are decorated with flowers in relief.

The collection contains more odes and references, such as a pal tree print (Toile de Jouy) that refers to artist Mario Schifano. You also recognize the literary work of the American feminist poet Robin Morgan with elements from Sisterhood Is Forever (2003). The scenography of the show is based on ABCs representing a woman made by the Italian artist Tomaso Binga.

The collection transcends the idea of gender and promotes the reinterpretations around identity discovery; an idea that has been supported by Dior for a long time already.

Balmain opened at Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris

The Rue Saint-Honoré located in the first arrondissement of Paris, near the Jardin des Tuileries has a long history with many different names and associations.

The Saint-Honoré has undergone an incredible transformation in these last years; the authentic historic buildings have been beautifully renovated and are now inhabited by the most luxurious brands. Balmain is one of them. The Parisian brand Balmain headed by artistic director Olivier Rousteng in collaboration with the architects of Studio AMV created a true residence for the brand.

This classic historical building breathes Balmain’s modern identity and will serve as a true style guide to the future residences with which the brand will eventually conquer the world. The 'house' of Balmain is a very idiosyncratic expression rooted within classical Parisian residential architecture. It contains ten specific living spaces; a garden, a living room, a boudoir etc. Each is decorated according to Balmain’s classical signature style.

This boutique reflects the idea of 'classics, with a modern outlook.' Rousteng further elaborates on the Balmain heritage by translating it into defiant contemporary expressions. The designs are classic, elegant silhouettes derived from the most luxurious contemporary materials and prints: a signature originated in Paris. The boutique on Rue Saint-Honoré is a homecoming, says Rousteng, it is the perfect complement to Balmain's historic address: 44 François Premier, where founder Pierre Balmain first opened the Balmain atelier almost 75 years ago.

Crystallized Flamboyance

The magical, pure rays of the Northern Lights are an intrinsic source of inspiration for Byblos's creative director Manuel Facchini. The pristine polar areas that have hardly been affected by humanity are an example of dedication to a more sustainable life. The colors that come together through the interaction of light, ice and temperature on the Aurora Borealis create a natural, flamboyant atmosphere.

Facchini’s aim in this Fall Winter collection is a more sustainable luxury life; plastic recycled bottles are reused by being turned into magical eco-friendly pearls that pursue the same aesthetics of the durable ice crystals and mountain diamonds. By imitating luxurious flamboyance in recycled plastic, Facchini shows that this graceful lifestyle does not only have exist at the expense of our fragile living environment.

Byblos's signature is characterized by all sorts of sports. Elegance and sportiness come effortlessly together in ergonomic constructions from cozy buffers to tight streamlined dresses, all embellished with classic 3D sport protection. Structured silhouettes alternate origami-styled suits with molecular ice structures that seem to melt slowly. Coconbomber jackets, hoodies and crystallized parkas are lined with beautiful graphic and geometric motifs, all are inspired by our own natural, nothern atemporal cosmos. The forms of the prints in this collection are copied from the effects of the Aurora borealis; collisions between electrically charged particles produced by the sun that slowly penetrate the earth's atmosphere. Footwear is characterized by sturdy, cool "cocoon" sneakers, eco-furry booties and hockey-inspired over-the-knee boots.

This new collection is a kaleidoscopic range of practical natural wonders with an inventive, sustainable, extravagant flair. By re-using materials and resemble terrestrial sources, a new challenge arises to save this planet and still live in luxury.

Infinite Creativity

Hugo Boss, NY Fashion week Fall/Winter 2019

New York is the city where all sorts of cultural influences come together; art, design, architecture, and fashion. Disciplines fuse here faster than anywhere else. This visionary New York culture has been the starting point for Hugo Boss's new women and men’s collection.

The collection was presented in the gallery district of Chelsea, the heart of the Manhattan art scene. Boss’ decent and modest spirit aims to pursue formality, which has evolved in this collection into a more sporty identity that wants to stand out.

Long, custom made coats and voluptuous capes are made out of luxurious alpaca wool and double-faced cashmere. Edited patchworks are interspersed with graphic stripe constructions and sturdy quilts. Him and her are in contrast with the combination of extremely elegant flowing dresses and slouchy knitwear sweaters.

Traditional craftsmanship has been incorporated in this collection in high-end fabrics to refine the noble identity in a refined, creative way. The volumes of the designs have also been given unexpected proportions with raw-edge finishes and stitch details. Boss is nodding here to the great variety of architectural influences that New York richly possesses.

The basic colors have remained true to the roots. Subdued colors camel, mélange gray, biscuit and winter white are connected to extremes like cool yellow, bright blue and dark pink.

The diverse artistic references reflected in the details make the collection individual and quirky. The new designs from Boss invite you to watch twice - and then again; the unexpected is combined with the expected.

Travel Essentials

A front leader in efficient and ergonomic clothing design, Roberto Ricci Design have synthesised clean, essential cuts with unexpected nuances for their Spring / Summer 2019 collection. The outerwear emanates warm tones of yellow that transcend into almost neon flourescence along with intense oranges, optical whites and classic blue denims. Silver and gold metal fibres also make an appearance.

The garments are simply ideal for the traveller in virtue of being extremely light and foldable, able to be fitted into travel luggage and smaller cases. The urban section features lightweight lycras that are highly breathable and suited for warm Spring temperatures. Classicism also infiltrates the entire collection with simple cut shirts and trousers from sartorial models. Soft to the touch fleeces are enriched with Oxford fabrics.

Fuss and excess are deliberately stripped away in the search for pure essentiality and necessity in designs. Technical glamour blends with colours, shapes and fabrics in perfect Italian style.

Tambour Horizon

Louis Vuitton introduces the Tambour Horizon watch; this fully connected piece embodies the spirit of travel and authentic craftsmanship. In contrast to the previous designs, this model allows you to personalise the dial with your own chosen watch face. Very extraordinary is the watch face; the design aesthetic refers to a classical Louis Vuitton runway show.

Louis Vuitton as a brand has symbolized “the art of traveling” for a very long time already. This watch is subversive, since it is able to synchronize all your travel information together in one place together with your agenda. Because the world has become increasingly polluted, Louis Vuitton has integrated a "Pollution" function that continuously displays the current air quality index on the dial.

The Tambour Horizon has a unisex case with a unique shape and is available in polished white ceramics, polished steel, matte black and brown Pvd and white with gem-set horns. The Tambour Horizon is the ultimate combination of smart and refined craftsmanship and technical excellence. The brown Pvd is especially symbolic; this color has been an integral part of Louis Vuitton’s aesthetic since 1854, used most prominently in the emblematic Monogram design.

Anne Imhof's New Work Exhibited at The Tate Modern for Ten Days

Frankfurt-based dynamic choreographer and visual performance artist Anne Imhof is revered for her utilisation of hyper physicality and incorporation of sound into her performances, often using unsettling rhythmic repetitions and sinister choral chants pumping out over a bass of static dissonance. She is known for her works Faust, Angst and a fascinating piece exploring human nature and control through the joining together of music and boxing in the Frankfurt Red Light District.

Common features of her work juxtapose the use of technology with stripped back Kafkaesque animalistic physicality. The dramatic 2016 piece Angst consisted of a segement with a drone stalking possessed, lifeless looking subjects dressed in non-specific attire who appear almost under the spell of the drone, miming along to loud vocal sounds in a pagan-like manner. Her provocative pieces blur the line between the performance activating audiences and actual active participation initiated from the audience whereby the performers’ traditional spatial limitations are violated and encroached upon. In the way that a painting is able to use perspective, Anne invites this component to her physical performance work, effectively weaving in various levels, angles and perspectives for the audience to observe the work from. Anne cites the abstractive stationary work of artists like Francis Bacon as central influences inspiring the subsequent physical development of her performance pieces. This was most utilised in Faust in Venice for which she was bestowed the prestigious Golden Lion award.

The direct impact of Anne’s work on the perceiver inevitably lulls them into an intense, dreamlike space removed from familiar reality, forcing us outside of our comfort zones and thrusting us into an atmospheric trance-like state, both simultaneously unsettling and invigorating.

Anne Imhof will be occupying the full suites of The Tate Modern’s Tanks with her single project combining music, paintings and sculptures over the course of ten days. This new piece will explore themes of technology, anxiety, proximity and identity and will take place in London from 22 March - 31 March 2019.

Alyx Fall 2019 Mens / Pre-fall 2019 Womens

Since the very beginning Matthew Willams’s Alyx stood for experimenting new silhouettes and technologies, developing new processes and building a new aesthetic made of small details into a whole.

For his second show during Paris Fashion Week official schedule Williams created a collection with all the elements that have been the brand’s signature ever since: the asymmetric cut, the coulisse used in dresses and pants to create new volumes and of course the very well known buckle (that was also designed for Kim Jones’s Dior Homme). This season renewed in a new moulded nylon version, with high density but lightweight, expanding applications and functional variations: around the neck as jewel and almost everywhere else in the collection.

The collection also featured a beautiful camouflage print tie-dyed on the roll and with sponges, as well polar fleece bonded with a 3-layer taped Japanese mesh produced in collaboration with the Italian manufacturer specialist Majocchi.

Matthew Willams refined his vision into the future with sustainability in mind: fabric welding using high-frequency molecular friction allowing low energy consumption and no solvents.

Dunhill Fall 2019

The British luxury brand Dunhill has become one of the best-known global luxury brands with a presence in all the world’s greatest retail cities.

Since 2017 with a renewed team where Andrew Maag and Mark Weston are respectively CEO and Creative Director both previously at Burberry, a new wave has been building up into the brand.

Dunhill started as a motoring accessories brand, and in the late ‘60s moved to the tobacco business, standing for a strong masculinity.

For Fall 2019 Weston continued working on those elements started already since his first season at Dunhill: leather, beautifully declined in the outwear. A brown marbled print was declined in shirt and bags creating a vibrant variation.

Pants were wide and fluid, slashing a relaxed and modern style with slits at their long swiping floor hems: it is a nice continuation from the previous Summer season providing a new code for the brand.

Dunhill for Fall 2019 was convincing and appealing. We are looking forward to seeing the growth of the brand’s new course.

Off-White Fall 2019 Mens / Pre-fall 2019 Womens

Spontaneous vegetation growing in hostile conditions, around abandoned industrial landscapes, resurfacing lacerated concrete, fading away from one place to blossom in another corner meters further. It’s the interstitial landscape in Gilles Clément’s “Manifeste du Tiers-Paysage” where plants serve as aid to observe the space with all its social, political, urban connotations.

Virgil Abloh’s setting for Off White is imbued with this rich fragmentary landscape, suspended, in constant evolution and change. Like Abloh’s creative ambition and know-how.

Moving into this residual landscape - constructed as a huge green-screen noddig to the 80’s and 90s “Pubblic Television” - Off-White new collection for Fall 2019 stormed in , with all its codes where the formal clothing and the attention to tailoring surfaced amongst Off-White’s repertoire confirmed Virgil Abloh’s voice and personal baggage starting his adventure at Louis Vuitton.

www.off---white.com

Fashion

Berluti Fall 2019

When Kris Van Assche was appointed new creative director at Berluti, the legendary Italian brand famous for its custom made shoes, there was a lot of excitement and anticipation for the new breeze this visionary designer would be able to bring.

We have been all following him in the developing of his codes along the years: the fascination to the New Wave music, the nod to a new modern tailoring with that sharp body-conscious blazer ushed further for the last collections at Dior Homme inspired by the Bar Suit.

Kris Van Assche knows how to take the elements of a brand’s heritage and bring them into his own aesthetic. For his Berluti first show he worked on emotional elements dear to the brand: the white marble table used by Berluti’s artisans since 1895 to polish the renowned shoes, photographed and used as print for shirt, coats, sweaters. You can see every mark left by the coloured shoe polish in the years, the craft, the spirit of the time.

The appeal of manipulated leather was used since the fist look: a brown leather suit with a patina finish (a technique known for the famous shoes of the Maison), a beautiful grey double breasted overcoat matched with a relaxed pinstripe suit marbled shirt + tie combo, smart bags.

The vibrancy of the colours found on the iconic Ferrara headquarters’ marble table were back in the suits and coats: ruby, brilliant green, blue, ochre, also carefully declined on few female models. The majestic show location of Garnier Opera resulted the perfect set for Van Assche’s new modernity, where backstage all his old and new supporters warmly welcomed this new course.

Paris meets Munich

Parisian Cartier opens a new pop-up Boutique in Münich this week. A traditional Cartier store divided into three different themes, all characterized by classical Parisian charm and designed by famous Parisian interior architect Laura Gonzalez.

First you enter the bar, which gives you the feeling of stepping into a typical bistro in Marais. The luxury velvet, marble and oak details underline the elegant and chic French aesthetics and give you the feeling that you never want to leave.

The second entry is into the salon; an area that breathes the so-called savoir-vivre feeling. The mirror wall in combination with an extraordinary monumental chandelier and dining table are the perfect combination between a typical French romantic Burgundian lifestyle and the Parisian metropolitan spirit. Artistic atmospheres and individual design furniture give this boutique an innovative touch and translate the classical French/Parisian concepts into a new experience.

Lastly you arrive at the boudoir in which two large chaise longues and dark green color scents immediately attract attention. Iconic Cartier images through time adorn the walls in a playful way and take you through the empire of Cartier as a jewellery maison.

The Paris apartment is located on the fourth floor of the current boutique's house at the Maximilianstrasse and will remain open until Fall 2019.

90’s Maverick Individualism

The Parisian brand Givenchy chose this season to present a new vision characterized by contrasts and eclectic tones. This look finds its roots in 90's maverick; an attitude that is represented by personal color-blocked suits with special embellished pieces in embroidered leather.

Artistic director Clare Waight Keller introduced a new way of creating in this collection by playing with different volumes, and mixing lean lines with loose and oversized pieces. The mix of bright colors interspersed with formal shades gives a dynamic, surprising feeling to the classical Givenchy textures. Casual pieces have been given a luxurious couture finish with edgy materials such as pallets, down and móire, which will give the traditional Givenchy man a new spirit to his elegant appearance. Experimental forms such as three-headed monk shoes are alternated with mid-calf shoes. Also thick platform shoes from the Givenchy pre-fall collection, together with the higher biker boots, the talisman charms and the seal rings are still Givenchy's leading niche.

Style codes dualate on each other's borders but still express the elegant Parisian spirit. Givenchy chose to display the collection in the Palais Brongniart, The Paris Bourse Stock Market built on request by Napoleon. The allegorical statues and majestic peristyle give a playful edgy perspective against the maverick attitude of Givenchy’s collection.

Imaginative, Quirky Couture

Odély Teboul has moved on from her days as part of the design duo Augustin Teboul. During the FW19 showcases at Berlin Fashion Week she presented the designs of her own label, Lou de Bètoly. Following stints at Vogue Salon this was her first major showcase on her own. The label had already gained traction this past year with pop star SZA or it-girl Delilah Belle Hamlin wearing Odély Teboul's designs last year. Each one of her designs is handmade using couture techniques and features strange details that con only be produced by wild imagination. In a city that never really conforms or grows up, these quirky looks work.

This ethno-dada draws from her childhood in the 90s and seems deliberately narrated from a child's point of view paired with a bit naïvety. And everything is blurred. We see a shirt with balloons and crocheted cords that could've been stolen from her father's closet. Or a denim jacket, which is covered all over with small hand puppets. And those alluring 1920s that Odeeh found inspiration in, also played into the Lou de Bètoly A/W 19-20 collection with the understanding of the "decadence and nonchalance" of the decade. One great example of this are the extra-long gloves made of neon hair ties.

Roman Nonchalance

Brioni showed in Milan its Fall/Winter 2019 collection presenting a masculine wardrobe repertoire with a tailoring formality. On the other hand they simultaneously exhibit a sense of informality making the collection one open to personal interpretation. Brioni’s authentic tailoring and precision is shaped again in a niche way, in an item called the primo suit. This slim-fit silhouette expresses a confident and exceptional, social spirited character.

An identity that embodies the idea of Roman nonchalance; an attitude that is characterized by pieces that move smoothly and lightly over the body made out of precious, refined materials with interesting details. This philosophy is central due to the representation of a man who instinctively follows his whims. An elegant gent with a well considered wardrobe, which obeys a special repertoire of style codes.

The collection indicates a mix of traditional and trending items: From trench coats to blousons, from morning suits to tailored or military pants. The items are released in materials such as cashmere, camel, wool, silk, leather, crocodile leather, velvet and knits with a fused color palette of neutral tones, whites, greys with touches of light blue and accents of rusted notes.

Ulay's Exhibition at Richard Saltoun, London

The very nature of Ulay’s art inadvertently resists all attempts at classification and defies categorisation. A self-proclaimed anarchist, Ulay’s work spans multiple platforms and offers a stark exploration of the dichotomy between the masculine and the feminine, exploring the fluidity of the self and the constant potential for transformation and experimentation with new identities. Ulay is one of our long-time favourite artists with whom we have previously had the incredible honour to work with on two separate projects.

From an early affection for the fleeting, transient and instantaneous process of the Polaroid to a traceable crossover in utilising the physical form through performance and body art, it is strikingly evident that the single common thread of Ulay’s work is awareness — in the obvious performative, physical sense of course but also in his social commentary.

Ulay’s unyielding lifetime commitment to dismantling and subverting the roots of complex themes of identity, particularly gender, by tackling the harmful human conflicts that arise from externally enforced notions of identity through his unprecedented format, are what have comfortably established his status as a true icon of polaroid photography and as the father of performance art.

From 11th January – 23 February 2019, the Richard Saltoun Gallery in London will host its first solo exhibition of Ulay’s work dating back to the 1970s and progressing right through to new works exhibited in public for the first time.

FENDI: ART & CULTURE

“My work is dealing with volumes shaped by lights and shadows, highlighting the forms with light, creating visual relations between projection and the use of lights and stroboscopes. The light is something smooth, untouchable, soft”.

Laslzo Bordos, the internationally renowned Hungarian artist, considered a pioneer of digital arts and architectural mapping, created “Lux Formae”, a visual installation supported by FENDI and produced by Solid Light Festival within Videocittà series of Events in the city of Rome. Using Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana - home of the roman maison FENDI- as its canvas he created a spectacular 3d projection on the building triggering new perceptions and symbolism of this iconic Italian architecture: “The building is a massive, heavy construction. I would like to create the illusion of the lights "holding" the building, bringing a contradictory situation where the lights become solid and the concrete becomes a floating element, supported by lights”- Bordos explained.

Having its deep roots already in the work of legendary artists like Laszlo Moholy-Nagy or George Kepes, Light Art had incredibly developed in the last decades, taking shape into the new forms of Light Projection on building using 3D mapping, where the urban and architectural environment is completely reproduced virtually in 3D to create an extremely precise and three-dimensional installation. When the projection is performed in situ on the building, its visual power derails the viewers customary schemes of perception and observation, creating a new reality, where the boundary of what is real and what is seen become blurry. With the support of Fendi and its cutting edge approach to art, the video mapping projection by Laslzo Bordos took shape and brought a new meaning to Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, one of the most fascinating contemporary architectures in Roma.

Fashion

Dries van Noten Spring Summer 2018

Dries Van Noten has been synonymous of effortless since the beginning, more than 25 years ago. We have tasted surely during his 100th show where pieces of all past collection where carefully selected and carefully re-arranged together. The Spring Summer 2019, the first Womenswear show after the news of the recent majority acquisition by Spanish conglomerate Puig, was set at Palais the Tokyo and its clean environment. Many saw it as a symbol of a new start, a new beginning.

But the collection proved that Dries van Noten aesthetic is as strong as ever.

That relaxed attitude, that playful side to mix prints and certainly the ability to wear masculine oversized cotton suits in white or black with anything borrowed from eveningwear like sheer knits and maxi sequins in aqua green, yellow and Yves Klein’s blue, one of Dries favorite references. The blue splashed a great part of the collection also adorning a couple of models’ head in form of feathers swim caps.

As the collection developed into evening dresses we all felt the mastery of Dries’ cut and ability to create couture-like dresses without feeling too Haute.

The workwear jumpsuit with the upper part pulled down at the waist and work as a decorative bow belt felt the quintessential Dries van Noten: infinitively savoir-faire.

Moose Knuckles AW18 Collection features a Horror movie

In slang, Moose Knuckles defines the splitting of one’s bean bag as a result of pants that are hiked too high. In the realm of outerwear, Moose Knuckles sounds alarms as the benchmark of style for those who live in the cold.

To mark the release of their Fall Winter 2018 campaign, the moose tribe created a short, campy horror movie – Shady Maple Motel. Toronto’s own four-time MTV video award nominee, Kid. Studio directed the short, taking inspiration from the hyper-real sexually charged photography of Steven Klein. With previous high-profile clients Big Sean and the Weekend to his name Kid, employed the cream of Toronto’s crop for the stylish, sarcastic and gory short.

The leanest, toughest and most luxurious outerwear brand consciously pounds the path less travelled. Playing it safe has never been in Moose Knuckles DNA, and never will be. The contemporary Canadian counter-culture prefers to be known for its grit, dexterity and heritage. Creative Director Steph Hoff prides the brand on an instinctive, organic ethos.

‘If I wasn’t making a campy horror trailer with my friends for Moose Knuckles, I would probably be making campy horror movies with my friends for fun. Like everything we do at Moose Knuckles, it was completely natural to create a campaign around my lifelong love of cheesy drive-in movies, in my home town.’

Fall Winter 2018 includes an array of shearling jackets, transitional coats; combat pieces and over-the-top colorful fur-trimmed parkas, sweatshirts, oversized knits and draped football scarves. To really put the knife in, the collection increases the seminal core of Moose Knuckles with new Army Green, Redwood and Driftwood colorways. Canada to its core Moose Knuckles lives to innovate - to lead.

Highlights from Milan Fashion Week

Jil Sander Spring 2019

Was the outside inside or inside outside? Who knows? What is for sure is that Lucie and Luke Meier made another lasting impression with the Spring 2019 collection for Jil Sander.

Enter centre stage: the former beloved Milanese Panettone factory. Traditional white tiles adorn the now forlorn walls; operational buttons and levers exist as relics of the past. This was a setting that conveyed function, sense and a certain pragmatism that epitomizes Jil Sander.

Chiseled, sharp, asymmetric two-pieces began the carousel. As time transpired the looks grew in their femininity - sharp minimalism developed an asymmetric funk before evolving angelically into loose, airy ensembles. Rich greens and deep milk chocolate brown rose to crisp innocent white and luxurious caramel tones.

A common trend for Spring 2019 will undoubtedly be the ever-trusty pocket, which infiltrated another runway here in Northern Milan.

Byblos Spring 2019

The regeneration of Byblos is here. Manuel Facchini made a welcome return to the Fashion week circuit in Milan this week with an incredible collection that twisted space atmosphere into something sporty.

These influences have birthed a special utilitarian collection that creates a sexy survival atmosphere by translating the colorful Nevada horizons into a playful and ironic space hippie typical of the desert melting pot.

Breathing Change: Highlights from NYFW

The Row Spring 2019

Calm, free, fresh, angelic. The Row. In 2019 so much attention is fostered toward creating originality in fashion. So much so that this very idea often breeds stale, unoriginal, regenerated mush. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are the antithesis of this very process. Allowing their serene collection to speak for itself as guests interact solely with their collection directly, quietly and intimately.

Sies Marjan Spring 2019

Sander Lak’s sixth Sies Marjan collection is his most mature to date (at least according to his stepdad). Cargo elements and nautical stripes pay homage to memories of his father with a bold variety of textures that echo Sander’s journeyman child hood. The intense emotional occasion reached a crescendo as Sanders’ mother took to the runway with a smile.

Coach 1941 Spring 2019

Leather goods may be Coach 1941’s main bag but that hasn’t stopped Stuart Vevers’ from using spring 2019 to playfully modernize their practical approach. Iron Dinosaurs, gritty ground, and Disney motifs New York 2018 was not a typical Coach runway show.

Prada opens a new boutique at Via della Spiga, Milan

Italian fashion house Prada is pleased to announce its opening of the new clothing boutique at Via della Spiga in Milan. The new 400 sq m corner store, designed according to Prada’s aesthetics, showcases a large, beautiful and fresh interior with large windows, inserted in the stone frame of the building. All display elements are made exclusively for Prada by Osvaldo Borsani and Giò Ponti.

While the first floor is dedicated to leather goods, accessories and footwear collections, the second floor will stock the clothing collections. To celebrate the opening of the Via della Spiga store, from the 10th of September on, the Italian fashion brand will offer the Prada Sidonie bag — from the Prada Resort 2019 collection — in two styles, made of city calf leather in a different range of colors.

Joey Fung and her mother Kam in new Fendi campaign

Joey Yung is one of the most popular singers and actressas in Asia at this moment. She became one of the most best selling Asian female singers of the 21st Century after she released her debut IEP in 1999. Joey Fung won numerous music awards and released almost 40 albums. In 2013 she proudly performed at the Royal Albert hall in London, becoming the first Chinese singer to perform on that stage. Joey Fung was ranked 63rd on the 2014 Forbes China Celebrity 100, making her the most influential Hong Kong-based female singer that year.

She participated in the Hong Kong Peekaboo Project and customized the Peekaboo, which pays homage to her mother Kam Fung. Kam Fung is not a public figure and did not appear on TV shows or TVC, but made an exception for this special Fendi project.

Roberto Cavalli opens first German store

Located in Berlin’s elegant shopping heart Charlottenburg, Roberto Cavalli is opening its first German store, welcoming customers to shop the brand’s modern and dynamic collection covered by their authentic Italian experience.

Suitcase with the secret: Off-White&Rimowa Collaboration

The king of collaboration Virgil Abloh — founder of the Off-White brand and Creative Director of the men's line of French fashion house Louis Vuitton — continues his cooperation with German brand Rimowa.

After the Off-White fashion show for Men's Spring/Summer 2019 at Paris Fashion Week, the two companies officially launched their partnership. Virgil Abloh presented a new transparent case with a ribbed surface, calling it a new level of design. " It’s like 3.0 of personalisation.

It’s not just putting your initials on it but allowing another layer to come in play.’’ — said Virgin. From July 2nd everyone has the opportunity to buy the limited-edition case online and at selected RIMOWA and OFF-WHITE stores in the US and Asia.

Breathing Change: Highlights from PFW

Creativity, newness and powerful vibes of change. This is the fresh air anyone could breath if looking from the Tour Eiffel during the Paris Fashion Week, which has celebrated masculine elegance as well as the debut of several designers at the lead of iconic brands.

Maintaining a structured and industrial look that runs over wide denim trousers and T-shirts, Virgil Abloh’s personal brand Off-White brings flashes of American pop and underground culture. Particularly, the use of graphics ornamentations pays homage to graffiti of iconic artist Dondi as well as The Simpsons prints underline the statement of a subversive yet relaxed contemporary appeal.

New Louis Vuitton’s Creative Director makes a great debut, defining a precise and sophisticated new vocabulary for the brand. A bright (off-)white palette spreads into an extended prism of colours, prints and graphics. From red poppy flowers taking over anoraks to the renovation of zoot-suit monochromatic looks, Virgil Abloh presents a collection that clearly speaks the language of Millennials, without compromising the distinctive notion of masculine elegance.

On the other way around, Belgian designer Walter van Beirendonck irradiating collection playfully works on structures and subversive imaginaries. On the one hand sparkling primary colours, graphics and patterns run over oversized sweaters and outerwear staples, underlining the label’s eclectic identity. On the other hand, a fetish-like abundance of leather marks the rebellious outlines of blue electric jackets and black pants.

A free dialogue of lines, shapes and drawings introduces to the fluid collection presented by Hermes for Fall 2018. Working on textiles such as cotton poplin or technical calfskin and a colour palette that includes monochromatic staples in pop orange, english green and greyish tones, the proposals define a sober yet self confident masculinity.

Inspired by Hawaii, travelling and island living, Yoon Ahn’s label Ambush creates a collection focusing on natural materials, such as cotton, wool and linen. Moreover, the jewellery range unveils literal pearls of wisdom on earrings, bracelets and rings, keeping in mind the ebb and flow of waves that mirror the motions of life experience.

Another promising beginning has been signed by Dior’s runway. With Kim Jones interpreting the codes of Monsieur Dior himself, the collection is a dual tribute to fantasy and Dior’s creativity. Both urban and soft, finding a balance between floral motifs, embroideries, delicate colours and streetwear structures, Jones spaces between the House iconic past, Dior’s personal life and celebrate the birth of a new out-look.

Fashion

Prada's Cartesian Space

A psychedelic, futuristic atmosphere unveils the unreal set that Prada has chosen for the Spring Summer 2019 Fashion Show.

The normally rough architecture of the venue in Via Fogazzaro in Milan, is transformed into a a grid, reinforcing the idea of a serial design. Numbers and symbols allude to geographic coordinates of remote locations.

Like in a cyber punk movie, cold lights projected on the inflatable stools by Verner Panton, produced by Verpan for Prada, intensify the surreal sense of lightness and transparency, questioning the recent practice that sees show sets as explanatory efforts to contextualize collections.

Automotive masterpieces with Idris Elba

This September, Grand Basel, the show for automotive masterpieces that presents vehicles in combination with art, design and architecture, is starting a global tour. Therefor, actor Idris Elba is looking for answers about what gives cars their soul in a new film he’s starring in made for Grand Basel.

The new film features four of the event’s exhibitions that reflect the past, present and future. Exceptional automobiles will be presented in extraordinary settings during the contemporary exhibition concept where sophisticated culture, aesthetics and technology engage with international audiences.

The Grand Basel show will be from 6 to 9 September 2018 in Basel, Switzerland. After that the show will be in Miami Beach from 22 to 24 February and Hong Kong 2019.

Karl Lagerfeld first flagship store opening in New York City

Sited at 420 W. Broadway in New York in the heart of SoHo shopping district, KARL LAGERFELD celebrates the opening of their new flagship store, the first one in the United States.

The open feel of the boutique is best intensified by its 3230 square feet, where the overall interior design takes inspiration from Karl Lagerfeld’s private home and studio. Marble finishes, velvet chairs and vintage mirrors create a unique atmosphere, while others elements, such as the red border around the carpet’s edges, tell little stories about the wide imagery of the iconic designer.

The New York boutique will include KARL LAGERFELD and KARL LAGERFELD PARIS ready-to-wear collections for both men and women, as well as accessories and footwear.

In addition to that, Karl Ikonik, the playful collection featuring Karl Lagerfeld and Choupette graphics is also presented. Yet besides clothing, the boutique will also introduce a collection of cosmetics, realised in collaboration with Australian Beauty brand ModelCo.

Keeping the eye focused on future initiatives, the house will surprise customers with the launch of the special collection KARL LAGERFELD x Kaia, which will be available from September 2018.

As Paolo Righi, CEO of the brand, declared: “Opening the first KARL LAGERFELD store in the United States is an exciting milestone in our brand’s continued growth. […] New York is an international fashion capital with a modern spirit and energy that make it ideal setting for our new flagship.”

Innovative, timeless, contemporary. The World of Karl is an open invitation to observe how the future of high-end retail experience looks like.

Fashion

Berluti new store opening in Munich

The immediate sensation is that of a quiet intimacy, as if one could slighlty hear the clock tickings spread over a place that has always been there.

The new Berluti flagship store in Munich is the second one to be opened in Germany, yet it is the first in Europe to launch a totally new concept for the interiors.

Located on prestigious Maximilianstrasse and in a Neo-Renaissance building, the design highlights the brand’s luxury heritage, yet respecting the typical Munich architecture.

On the one hand, the preference for a square, clean design suggests Berluti affinity with sobriety and composure, which is in turn calibrated with the presence of delicate textures that characterise the stone finished beige walls.

As well, the hand-polished bronze shelves and frames, the marble tables, the polished wood cabinet and the herringbone pattern over the matte wooden floor seem to complete each other.

More elements, such as a dramatic wall lined with symbolic tincture bottles, a wooden display cabinet and classic club armchair intensify the relaxed atmosphere, gently illuminated by pale lightings that unveil the precious details of Berluti collections.

The new Berluti boutique is the perfect place where contemporary gentlemen can talk about elegance in detail.

Fashion

Cartier: The Exhibition

On the 30th March at National Gallery of Australia, Cranberra, historic jewelry brand Cartier will inhaugurate an exclusive exhibition, featuring more than 300 hundreds masterpieces samples from Cartier Collection, private owners and institutions.

Designed by renowned scenographer Nathalie Criniere, the exhibition has been co-curated by Margaret Young-Sanchez, Denver Art Museum and NGA and will dispaly a selection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewels, including the Queen’s Halo tiara.

As well, several items belonged to European monarchs such as the 10.48-carat diamond engangement ring of Her Sirene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco will be showcased alongside famous clients’ private belongings, including the Duchess of Windsor, Mexican film star Maria Felix and Elizabeth Taylor among many others. In addition to that, a variety of the brand’s iconic watches will be showcased for the occasion.

As Gerard Vaughan, NGA Director stated: ‘Jewels of spectacular calibre and size, amongst the most important in the world, magnificently set by Cartier’s renowned craftsmen will be exhibited only in Canberra. It is a collection of immeasurable quality and value, the likes of which have never been seen in this country before, and may never be again. Years of research and gentle persuasion will deliver an unforgettable experience.’

Dedicating this project to Australian people and of course, Cartier lovers, the event that will last from the 30th March until the 22nd July 2018 represents a unique occasion to explore and be overwhelmed by the incredible production of an extraordinary company leading the way of diamonds design for over a century.

Fashion

Givenchy launches their new platform to main European markets

Now closer to their customers than ever before, on the 5th March 2018 historical Fashion House Givenchy has launched their new omni-channel platform to its five main European markets: the UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany and Spain.
The new platform, which has been designed in collaboration with the London-based agency R/GA and curated by artistic director Clare Waight Keller, is characterized by a very fluid layout and clean structure blending real-time access to fashion shows, in-depth features and a mix of news.

Coinciding with product availability in-store, the platform will satisfy consumers desire to purchase several pieces from the designer Spring Summer 2018 collection, including front-of line access to monthly-product drops and online-only capsule pieces. Presenting all products in high resolution, Givenchy’s new strategy (covering also online media, e-mail and social media) celebrates a future-oriented approach to shopping and unique ability to combine very distinctivr web design aesthetics with the increasing improvement of user experiences. www.givenchy.com

Fashion

Highlights from Milan Fashion Week

Hogan Galaxy is nothing but an open invitation to take an interstellar journey on another planet. Presented in an (almost) parallel universe, the new luxury sneakers in a iridescent material are characterized by the Maxiplatform H222 motif, while rainbow platforms sign the structure of glossy metallic leathers. In addition to the chunks in purple or green, the H340 and Interactive models are realised with an innovative dipping technique enhancing the psychedelic spirit of the collection.

Travelling around the globe allows people to better incorporating a multicultural sense of community. Delving into Renzo Rosso personal archive, the youth memories and relics collected during his travels in the Eighties set the mood for both men and women collections of Diesel Black Gold. Tribal elements and embroideries recalling Mexican and Peruvian culture on sweaters and jackets accentuate a sense of adventure, although keeping minimal the overall aesthetics.

Angela Missoni loads the patterns of her collection with a nostalgic interpretation of the late Seventies. Trough multiple layers, strong color-contrasting patchworks and stripes, the range is is a rich, intense storytelling. From flowing coats, jackets and dresses narrate different cultures spacing between Italian, Jamaican and Scottish as well as they make reference to the historical brand archive to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Fashion House.

Jil Sander develop a collection that elaborates a human-oriented vision preferring simplicity to hyper technological communication. Authentically minimal, the proposals do not stiffen the body, instead they achieve a state of fluid elegance trough the delicateness of organza and wool that gently wrap the silhouette. White and more pleasantly white, the color palette includes also precious pieces in navy blue, soft grey and black. Some of the coats and skirts are enriched by floral motifs or softened by round curves, while ribbed knits highlight the dominant mood embracing beauty in the most genuine sense.

Dresses are tool that can change the body and the environment around us. Trough a thoughtful collection named Techno-Primitivism, Francesco Risso brings the individual and the collective to Marni's ethical considerations. Bright hues in blue and acid green take over belted coats, knitted tunics are presented with large trousers, dresses in a vintage 30’s look and eventually a felted coat made of recycled materials highlight the contemporary need for utilitarian and sustainable aesthetics.

AGL is a brand about women. With a presentation held in via della Spiga, Milan the proposals for Shoewear presented by the three sisters are truly devoted to light.
Stand out of the collection, the Daylight are classic lace-up, which are reinterpreted trough the language of the brand and achieve a contemporary look with the decisive use of white over the minimalist shape. Luxurious materials and several colors introduce the Warm Light rain boots, while the extravagant Full Light/No Light speckled over-the-knee stiletto boots with a soft bootleg are dedicated to women with a powerful identity.

Travel

Casacau: A Homelike Stay In the Eternal City of Rome

In a 17th century Roman residential building near the Fontana di Trevi, the six unique and luxurious apartments of Casacau have been integrated. Situated in the heart of the eternal city, the historical charm of the house intertwines perfectly with contemporary design. This getaway offers all comforts and services one might expect in the most exclusive hotels in Rome, but with the added touch of a home-like-feeling and more privacy. Each apartement has a different aesthetic atmosphere mixed with its own personality. Vintage-furnishings from the 50s, 60s and 70s blend in with modern comfort and convenience. Some of the rooms are equipped with a Turkish bathroom and one even offers a sauna for that added wellness value. All rooms come complete with a dining space and an open supplied kitchen. Two rooms also feature a balcony, with a view either on the street or the patio.

The hotel is part of the TakeMeRome project by Pino Cau, who has been working in hospitality for thirty years. Aiming to offer guests a carefree stay in Rome, TakeMeRome takes care of all details of their stay. Following this philosophy, Casacau offers its guests the possibility to order fresh groceries if they’re feeling up to the task of cooking. If not, the restaurants Stazione di Posta and EIT can deliver to all rooms upon request. What’s more, at Casacau, there will always be someone available to fullfil guests’ special wishes. The philosphy behind Casacau is to provide a hideaway that makes it easy to discover Rome’s hidden gems while making one feel like staying at a friend’s place, because human relations are seen as the real luxury.

Berlin goes Kiez

From the 15th of February to the 23rd on the occasion of the renowned Film Festival, Berlinale Goes Kiez is bringing the event to independent cinema's across the city.

With a selection of films and events, the programme is aimed to create a dialogue between the audience and the filmmakers, who will answer the public’s questions immediately after the screenings and Anne Lakeberg, head of City Kino Wedding, will moderate the discussions on the behalf of Berlinale.

This initiative is also honouring the work of art-house theatres that kept cinema culture active and vital overtime as well as it is consolidating a charismatic engagement with the annual appointment.

Mentioning baseball without including New York would be an oxymoron. With its ‘Sports Tailoring’, Hugo Boss celebrates the American's favourite sport and translates it to high tailoring. There is a focus on making extra sizes and volumes for cashmere coats, puffer jackets and raincoats. Baseball graphics along with Hugo Boss initials adorn shirts and jackets, while flashes of neon yellow are added to classic wool pieces in brown and grey, which elaborate a new imagery for American elegance.

Aligning fashion with art and architecture is likely one of the diktats of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who presented their collection at their showroom in Manhattan’s West Village. For the occasion, the studio has been transformed into an exhibition space where 13 sculptures from artist Isamu Noguchi were displayed to enhance The Row’s vision. Monochromatic and earthy-toned, the collection unveiled relaxed knitwear dedicated to non-conformist women of the 20th century.

Bondage-style straps and neon orange iconic bob wigs. The reference to Luc Besson’s cult movie The Fifth Element is immediate. Over 20 years since the release, Jeremy Scott pays homage to heroine Leelo (marvellous Milla Jovovic) delivering a bright collection with sharp lines saturated by kaleidoscopic prints and tight moon boots. Make-up by Kabuki and hair-styles by Eugene Souleiman was the perfect backdrop.

For Zadig & Voltaire, Art Director Cecilia Bonstrom focuses on sensual femininity, with white T-shirts and tight vinyls. The collection features both men and women’s looks in oversized soft sweaters in red and creamy hues, as well as leather jackets interpreted in new different cuts. To complete the outfits, relaxed blousons are worn under sculptural trenches, while jackets add a touch of balanced androgyny to the full range.

Fashion

New Dior Boutique Opening in Berlin

Last 27th January, Dior has inaugurated a new boutique located in Kurfürstendamm 56, one of the most well known avenues in Berlin.

The store, which hosts both menswear and womenswear collections, jewelry and perfumes, has been decorated by designer Stefan Leo with furniture in recycled-metal that create a tromp-l’oeil effect. The LB bubble artwork by abstract artist Jan Kalab adds a contemporary tone to the gentle atmosphere, softly in balance with the Versailles Parquet floor, that instead recalls Christian Dior passion for 18th century aesthetics.

Louis Vuitton Menswear Fall/Winter 2018

Just few days before the show it was announced that Kim Jones would present his last collection for Louis Vuitton Menswear.

For many reason it was certainly a surprise. Who more than Kim Jones delivered year after year beautiful collections true to one of the oldest French Maison’s identity while bringing it to hype amongst the younger crowd? Last year’s Louis Vuitton collaboration with Supreme is only one of the acts in this sense.

After 7 glorious years, first appointed as Menswear artistic director in 2011 by Marc Jacobs -at the time creative director of the brand - he developed a signature style with a travel allure, the latter being the main recurring elements in Louis Vuitton heritage.

For his last collection at the brand Kim Jones used once again his travels, this time in Kenya, where areal photographs are directly featured on prints. Their colour palette with warm dry tones - recalling natural rocks, lavas, and infinite landscapes - running throughout the collection. It delivered a classic and elegant style while using sportswear elements like leggings worn underneath shorts and zipped blousons.

Gloss materials from fabrics to a spectacular python coat and pants (that on a closer look during a visit at the showroom resulted incredibly butter soft) together with organza overlay on coats and shirts – tracing a fil rouge with previous’ season Hawaiian organza t-shirt – epitomise Louis Vuitton’s delicate and refined definition of luxury .

Kim Jones picked from many themes: the American rodeo, the Siberian temperatures with an intarsia mink, a safari attire and the world of hiking and climbing with hints of neon yellow and orange.

The show arrived at its peak when iconic top models - and friends of Jones - Naomi and Kate joined the runway, dressed in glazed monogrammed raincoat.

Dior Homme Fall/Winter 2018

Kris Van Assche has been inspired by music since his young age channelling the New Wave and the 90s into Dior Homme’s identity.

The set at the Grand Palais with 3 tall glass cases enclosing an installation of intermitting disco light and fog machines, set a rave mood on the sound of Alphaville’s “Forever Young”. But it’s the first looks which disclosed a broader perspective on Van Assche’s Fall Winter 2018 for Dior Homme: variations on suiting.

Sleek and extremely slim, with the blazers narrowing at the waist point.

It was an inspiration drawn from Monsieur Dior himself and his iconic Bar suit. With an horizontal seam on the wasp-waisted cut and the recurring stitched eyelet on blazers,

Van Assche delivered a beautiful perspective on suits with a distinctly modern elegance and cool emphasis.

A myriads of subtle but significant details constellate the several looks on the theme: crossed lapels with a buttoned edge, three-buttons or double breasted with diagonal overlapping conferring a geometrical shape, two buttons with the reinterpretation of tribal graphic images part of that 90s culture.

The collection featured also sporty and relaxed looks with puffer jackets, wool coats, high waist denim trousers, simple. The choice to leave all the shoe laces untied conferred a certain naïve feel, a youthful gesture, recalling the unconventional, the unplanned, the head in the air of a young self.

Marni Market

For five months, at 231 Rue Saint Honore, Marni Market settles in Paris. The firm’s playful universe is revealed through an exhibition where visitors can explore and interact within Marni's colorful world and purchase special items during three different periods.

In January 2018, Marni Visitor Market keeps the traditional Christmas charitable donation —addressing the profits to Piccolo Principe Association for helping children in difficulty within the province of Milan — with the sale of funny marionettes, half toy and half sculpture, made of painted wood and resin.

From the 1st of February until the 12th of April, Marni Playful Market will turn in an interactive space, where visitors can play freely within the elements showcased in the area.

The last period, from the 13th of April until the 18th of May, Marni House Market will be dedicated the exposition of Colombia hand-made items, celebrating creativity and workmanship.

Gucci Garden

When past, present and future are linked together, their linearity is transmuted in a circular movement and the magic of eternal return begins.

A giant neon eye artwork illuminating the façade of Palazzo della Mercanzia last 9th of January has celebrated the opening of Gucci Garden, a great project designed by Creative Director Alessandro Michele and meant to completely regenerate the functions of the old archive.

Starting from the ground level two rooms, respectively Gucci Osteria and the Boutique, host a restaurant and the retail store.

The Osteria is the result of a creative collaboration with chef Massimo Bottura, who decided to propose a menu combining Italian cousine and the influences from his travels worldwide, as a reminder that “Florence has always been a centre of cultural exchange”.

With its floor of hand painted wooden boards with purple ribbons and vines on a pale green base, the bazaar-like store recreates the atmosphere of vintage florentine shops resulting from the enormous work of restoration of old furnitures (tables, sideboards and cabinets) and precious decorations in a range of florentine shades. The boutique will sell Gucci Garden’s exclusive products, including bags and shoes in special materials and the silk bomber jackets featuring the Gucci Garden gothic script.

With the help of Italian curator Maria Luisa Frisa and contribution of artists Jayde Fish, Trevor Andrew and Coco Capitan, the Gucci Museum has evolved from a more classic archive into a multifunctional space devoted to the creativity and celebration of art and fashion.

For this reason according to Frisa, in the gallery the displays follow purposefully no chronology. Rather, they create a fluid harmony suggested by items organised by themes and intensify the dialogue between old and contemporary pieces.

Gucci Garden Galleria’s six rooms on the first and second floor (Guccification, Paraphernalia, Cosmorama, Cinema da Camera, De Rerum Natura and Ephemera) tells not only the brand's history, but also homages the splendour of florentine architecture as much as its craftsmanship traditions. Each of them explore several aspects concerning the gradual transformation of the brand overtime, with a focus on the double G or the brand's historical icons evolutions.

Other rooms instead dedicate space to diverse projects, such as the red velvet cinema auditorium with a selection of experimental movies or De Rerum Natura showcasing the narrative behind the iconography of animals and gardens. Once again, Alessandro Michele’s astonishing project is the metaphorical (de)materialization of time and memory into an incredible structure, which definitely confirm the aesthetic and philosophic vision of the House.

The Paris Polo

In line with its precise identity and redefining the modern codes of urban elegance, Lacoste launches their R-T-W brand new polo shirt.

Characterised by a slim concealed button placket and a collar band, the shirt is proposed with shorter length and a straight fit that highlight the silhouette. The use of light materials like the stretch cotton mini piqué allows a comfortable and practical wear, while a tone-on-tone embroidered logo remarks the clean essentiality of the label, aiming to create a timeless look easy to combine with different styles.

Available in 15 shades, the Paris Polo will be available online and in all Lacoste stores from February 2018.

Dior Lady Art Bag #2

Last year Dior invited a handful of British and American artists to reimagine the classic Lady Dior Bag for a limited edition. As the project was a great success, it is back now, featuring another ten artists from all over the world of different ages and origins.

Giving “carte blanche” to the artists, they could freely transfer their creativity into Dior’s leatherworking language. Everything, from the fabric, to the charms, size, color, jewelry, handles and stitching could be adjusted by them.

The artists Friedrich Kunath, Namsa Leuba, Spencer Sweeney and Lee Bul created the new versions of the Lady Dior Art Bag. On Dior’s website, one can watch a series of videos highlighting their individual artistic identities and inspirations.

G-Star RAW Research III BY Aitor Throup

In the G-Star RAW innovation lab, which is led by the British designer, artist and creative director Aitor Throup, denim is being deconstructed to its purest form. The third collection of the RAW Research for men and very first for women, presents new denim constructions, silhouettes and shapes.

The collection features ten pieces in undyed and unwashed calico denim and challenges the conventional perception of the popular fabric. The same collection goes through a process of hand dyeing, where the indigo is added to the raw garments, resulting in an organically irregular visual effect. The G-Star innovation lab separates, analyzes and utilizes the core elements of denim in experimental ways.

RAW Research is known for launching a new 3D denim construction each season. This time, it is the Spiraq jean. Crafted from a single piece of denim, that is wrapped around the leg, the model is carefully molded to provide the perfect fit.

The third RAW Research collection also represents Throup’s first ever work of womenswear. Reflecting the overall design pilosophy of RAW Research III, the pieces are blending minimalism and functionality without compromising femininity. For both the men’s and women’s collection the in-house laboratory of G-Star follows the same untreated approach, while pushing the boundaries of product design through an explorative process.

The G-Star RAW Research III collection wil be available in selected concept stores from the 15th of December.

A Special Hideaway In the Historic Heart of Rome

In the middle of baroque Roman buildings, emanating the extraordinary presence of history, the exquisite private residence and boutique hotel Le Quattro Dame is located in a traditional palazzo between Piazza Venezia and Largo di Torre Argentina. The name of the residence and its philosophical inspiration comes from the four famous profile paintings, Portrait of a Woman, by Florentine renaissance artist Piero del Pollaiuolo, displayed throughout a few of the rooms. Entering the builiding, one has the choice to either walk up an impressive marble staircase that leads to the second floor, or enter a nostalgic elevator that dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Muted earthy tones at the reception area have a soothing effect on the visitor, and lounge sofas serving an inviting space to sit and unwind. A gallery of renaissance artworks by selected artists such as Bronzino, Raffaello and Lorenzo Lotto adorn the walls, instilling the space with an independent and authentic vibe. Classical features such as high ceilings, wooden floors and wide windows are fused with modern but timeless interior design.

Only minutes from the Pantheon, Le Quattro Dame houses six different styles of rooms: three deluxe rooms, two junior suites, and a more secluded apartment. All of them are eclectically furnished and decorated in a chic, sophisticated Italian style. From the Sand Suite’s balcony, one can see the spot where Julius Caesar likely passed away. Viabuzzuno and Kartel lamps light up the rooms, Dedar and Sahco provide wooden flooring and curtains for a homey feel, while cosy Meridiani and Flou beds tempt you to lie in for longer. The bathrooms are furnished with glass doors, resin floors and steel accessories by Agape and Gessi. As Le Quattro Dame provides more of a self-contained apartment stay than a traditional hotel, all rooms are equipped with a kitchenette, Nespresso machine, kettle, minibar, glassware and Villeroy & Boch china.

During the stay, the manager Dori is reachable by phone, and mulitilingual staff members are available daily from 8.30 am to 6.30pm for inquiries about sightseeing, museum visits, tansfers, car hires, table reservations and everything else. Walking in and out of this typical Italian residence, feeling as if it were your own home, makes one blend in with the locals immediately. Le Quattro Dame is the ideal choice when looking for a high quality luxury hideaway with a romantic and stylish twist in the centre of beautiful Rome.

Versace Reopens Boutique in Frankfurt

When entering the newly designed and reopened Versace boutique in Frankfurt, one is greeted by a blend of traditional Italian architectural values and the incomparable dynamism and energy of Versace. Fior di bosco marble, onyx and brass elements create an ambience with a contemporary twist and emphasise the mood of supreme luxury. The boutique is a meeting point between the past and the future. The store is a unique and exclusive area of 345 square meters, which is perfect to present the Versace prêt-à-porter collections and accessories for men and women. According to Donnatella Versace, the interior design pays tribute to Italy’s cultural heritage and represents the spirit of the brand.

Paris By Night

With its new capsule collection, Highlight, the french brand Sandro presents an evening wardrobe with Parisian flair just in time for the party season. The 15 pieces are inspired by different decades of party wardrobe, offering the ideal outfit for each taste and occasion. Shades of black, silver and white, geometric shapes and volumes meet asymmetries. Pleats and frills bring twists to a feminine silhouette. The looks are formal but have the typical oh-so Parisian casual edge to them. The lustrous moiré of a draped bustier is combined with a full-circle skirt, silvery sequins can be found on a shawl-collar smoking jacket, worn over a short skirt in draped lurex and a white top with gigot sleeves contrasts with the deep black of a skirt enhanced with an asymmetric frill. Details of lace and brocade capture the final glow of Paris at dusk. The Sandro Highlight collection knows how to play with the dreams and desires of a starry night and channel chic femininity.

Hogan Christmas Special Edition: Glam It Up!

To accompany the upcoming festive and joyous mood before and after Christmas with style and grace, Italian shoe brand Hogan releases a special collection. The 2017 Christmas Edition can’t be beaten in glamour and festiveness. The brand’s maxiplatform H222 signature sneakers have been revisited and are proposed in two bright versions. The first one is a black patent leather edition with allover golden motifs and a laminated sole and the second comes in black suede with silver decorations and a metallic platform. A bright-touch clutch bag completes the Hogan XMAS Capsule Collection making it a perfect match for the shoes. These pieces are a secure entry on this year’s wish list!

Camper x Eckhaus Latta

In the name of their Camper Together model, the shoe brand collaborates with leading international designers from the worlds of art, fashion and architecture. The aim is to create singular products and fuse their signature style with Camper’s unique DNA. Now, Camper partners up with fashion label Eckhaus Latta for a third collaboration. The couple and design duo behind the American brand is known for its avant-garde aesthetic, which they combine succesfully with Camper’s offbeat approach to footwear. Eckhaus Latta designed their own version of the Thelma model, which is a vintage-inspired heeled shoe, playing with flared volumes and refined heights. While the deconstructed design features uppers that combine rich leather with inverted jacquard fabric, the outside is inspired by the cloth upholstery typical of public transportation. All these attributes give the shoe an edgy tongue-in-cheek, anti-fashion vibe. The new Thelma will be available as both a slip-on moccasin and a zip ankle boot from the 31st October at CamperLab stores in New York, London and Paris, selected Camper stores and online.

The Handmade Derby by Sandro Homme

The french brand Sandro combines a focus on the future with the exploration of its past heritage. For the Sandro Homme shoes winter collection 2017, Ilan Cherite has revisited the iconic laced derby and added some character and class. These quirky shoes are a product of traditional savoir-faire, entirely hand made in England. To make it durable, they are constructed with Goodyear stitching. The first seam binds the upper, the inner sole and the welt. A second seam binds the welt to the outer sole, which makes it easily to replace. The inner sole out of natural cork fits to the shape of the foot and provides comfort like a tailor-made model. The timeless derby comes in box-calf black leather, which enhances the classic. This classy english shoe style is convincing with its versatility and can be worn with a city suit or less formal attire. In each pair Sandro expresses its aspirations and values, which are elegance, quality, discreet luxury and refinement. These high-end shoes are also intentionally affordable, which makes it easier to achieve that desireable dandy look.

Rick Owens’ parade of draped, layered, adjunct looks felt - more than the recent Menswear Spring Summer’18 - like a continuation of the previous Womenswear Fall Winter ’17, with its spectacular volumes and emblematic head pieces of what looked like a sacred procession. At the time Owens declared how it was a propitious gesture in name of humanity and a positive new beginning as opposite to his historical cult of darkness.

On the same wavelength, this Spring Summer ‘18 collection is a rejection of any dark climate our time is undoubtedly imbued with. The show started with off-white silhouettes carefully draped with oversized bags placed at the waste, to create volumes recalling wombs.

The collection was rich in variations: sequined looks with knitted threads over them in brown, grey, and black; embellishment details in forms of slim linear beads placed in the shape of striped architectural structures over tops and dresses, occasionally recalling a moebius form.

But it were the final looks that undoubtedly stole the scene. A series of cocoon-like forms made of carefully shaped transparent jersey revealing intricate origami forms beneath, covering models heads’ and elongating them as to create a new being, a new existence. Rick Owens’ ode to joy, light and what’s still to come was staged in a water spectacle where beamers vertically sprayed water ten meters high. As the models walked in an impetuous fresh mist invaded the entire space. The PR’s urging us to wear the plastic rain ponchos placed on every seat pre-show, finally made sense. With Rick Owens signature’s logo written on its back we all looked as part of a congregation, reunited for some propitious ritual in the name or rebirth. A cleansing from this tired society.

FENDI announces partnership with Galleria Borghese

The Italian fashion house Fendi has always had a strong connection to Rome and the fine arts. It all started, amongst others, with the restauration of the Trevi Fountain in 2015, followed by the opening of the first floor of Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana to the public, where Fendi’s headquarters are now. The brand recently announced a three-year-partnership with the prestigious Galleria Borghese in Rome, which is guarding the most relevant and best preserved paintings by Italian painter Caravaggio. Hence Fendi will be supporting the Caravaggio Research Institute, which sees the constitution at Galleria Borghese as a center of studies, diagnostics and artistic-historical research aiming to become a primary reference. To spread the word about the project, Fendi and the Galleria Borghese created an exhibition on the artist which will be taking place all over the world at the most high-end-venues. However, the first exhibiton that Fendi will be supporting is the “solo one”, which is dedicated to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the most representative artist of the Baroque period in Rome. The exhibition will be inaugurated on the 31st of October and will be open to the public from November 1st 2017 to February 4th 2018.

Lacoste Spring/Summer 2018

Lacoste celebrates its 85th anniversary with a collection full of humour and new declinations of their iconic polo shirt. Creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista draws inspiration from classic French cinema from the mid 90s with two particular titles : the controversial Kassovits’s “La Haine” and Eric Rohmer’s “Conte d’été” exploring their portrayals of youth and the clashing realities between these two very different movies.

Oliveira Baptista questions the themes of formal and informal, of classic and sportswear in a play between contradiction elements and codes. If for women the polo shirt becomes an off the shoulder mini dress that wraps around the body, for men it appears oversized worn over denim.

The 90s reappear in the windbreakers, pea jackets and tracksuits reminiscent of the youth of that time, now released in high-tech versions. This is a collection where the beauty is in the cuts and its new sensuality and where the sportswear pieces made from openwork mesh nylon create a new sensuality. A celebration of the heritage of the brand, the iconic colours red 240, navy 166, white 001 and green 132 reissued together with pastels of the 80s, with the crocodile logo inhabiting the buttons of a piped cardigan or “climbing” over the shoulders of a dress.

A playful approach full of Lacoste’s history and its contemporary innovation.

Museo del Novecento and Fondazione Furla present Simone Forti: To Play the Flute

Museo del Novecento and Fondazione Furla present Simone Forti: To Play the Flute – a selection of performances by this Italian-born American artist, choreographer and dancer that will fill the Museo del Novecento’s Sala Fontana with sound and movement for three days.

This marks the first event of the Furla Series #01 – Time after Time, Space after Space, a performance- centred program that will feature five events from five different artists with varying backgrounds, influences and approaches to this form of expression.

Simone Forti, has been a leading figure in postmodern dance for over fifty years and has helped shaped the landscape of contemporary dance with performances that range from minimalist movement to improvisations that also featured spoken word. To Play the Flute is a reenactment of four seminal performance moments in Forti’s career that highlights her approach to the interplay of actions and objects, and they key role assigned to sound.

Forti’s famous Dance Constructions – now part of New York’s MoMa permanent collection – served as the foundation of her solid reputation in the 60’s art world thanks to her innovative ways of experimenting with the language of movement. The performances rethink the relationship between body and object, movement and sculpture, rules and improvisation and are based on everyday movements or interactions with objects. Personal expression and improvisation always appear to be hampered by the effort required to carry out a given physical task or follow certain rules.

The first Time after Time, Space after Space event will take place on the 21st to the 23rd of September in the Sala Fontana of Milan’s Novecento Museum. The program for Time after Time, Space after Space will include four more events featuring artists from around the world, at bimonthly intervals: Alexandra Bachzetsis (November 2017), Adelita Husni-Bey (January 2018), Paulina Olowska (March 2018) and Christian Marclay (April 2018)

Philipp Plein Spring/Summer 2018

The Philipp Plein show, held at the Hammerstein Ballroom, was one of the hottest tickets of New York Fashion Week. Crowds lined up around the corner on 34th street hoping for a spot to witness the VMAs-worthy spectacle.

The tone of the show was Alice in Wonderland goes BDSM goes streetwear - coincidentally, a mix of most of the trends we've seen in recent years. The over-sexualized collection, complete with leather garters, dark lipstick, whip-like hair, and forgotten pants, caters perfectly to millennial listeners of Fifth Harmony and present-day MTV: truly an Instagram-worthy show.

Despite lacking in the subtlety department, the show didn't disappoint on an entertainment level. Most likely costing in the seven figures, Philipp Plein brought dazzling star power: Nicki Minaj sat front row, Future provided the raw soundtrack, Teyana Taylor's swagger lit up the runway... Anywhere else, this would have felt dramatically out of place. But in New York, where one can see a Yeezy show before rushing off to Carolina Herrera, perhaps anything goes.

Fashion

Camper’s Techno Odyssey

Camper’s latest campaign is spearheaded by Romain Kremer, who has created a techno odyssey made up of surreal set pieces and vivid imagery. Six new alien-like personalities bring to life the A/W 2017 campaign, enlarging the Camper universe and telling a new part of its story: dreamlike characters are pictures with avant-garde designs, infused with the drama of over-saturated monochrome tones and colour-blocked, graphic shapes. Photographer Daniel Sannwald and makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench are the ones responsible for creating the high-impact, memorable images which were shot in London.

Avatars Thelma and Serena lead the march for women, Rex and Brutus for men, and unisex favourites Dub and Drift for the androgynous crowd. Viewers can step into Camper alluring new world on many different platforms, all around the globe: in-store, in print, on digital platforms, and their website.

POWERMASK: Walter van Beirendonk at the Wereldmuseum

From the 1st of September 2017 until the 7th of January 2018, the ethnographic Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam will host POWERMASK, an exhibition curated by Antwerp fashion designer Walter van Beirendonck. The exhibition is a journey through the deeply symbolic, totemic and patrimonial world of masks, an often underrated accessory in contemporary fashion. Van Beirendonck has incorporated masks into his fashion collections since the 1990s, sourcing inspiration from André Breton, Pablo Picasso and Pieter Bruegel’s caricatural portraits.

The exhibition will examine links between Western art and African masks, the supernatural rituals surrounding masks, masks in fashion, masks as fetishes, and numerous other aspects. Van Beirendonck has styled the 125 masks, unpacked from the Wereldmuseum’s archive, with colorful costumes and fashion silhouettes. The backdrop of the exhibition is a delightful patchwork of wall installations by contemporary artists such as Brian Kenny, Coco Fronsac and Charles Fréger, macabre paintings of James Ensor, playful illustrations by Keith Haring, and designs by haute couture heavyweights Viktor & Rolf and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Kenzo Spring/Summer 2018

Asian models, only. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim celebrated two icons of Japan where Kenzo as brand finds its deep roots back to founder Kenzo Takada.

The collection explores the personalities of master musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and topmodel Sayoko Yamaguchi for Spring Summer 2018 menswear and Womenswear respectively. A beautiful look at their world, their time, their influences to Kenzo.

It’s as we were allowed to jump back into the past where Ryuichi Sakamoto was playing with its pioneer electronic group “Yellow Magic Orchestra” in the late 70s, and during the solo years composing the spectacular soundtracks for Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Last Emperor” in the late 80s first and “The little Buddha” in the early 90s.

His individualism hinting to classic English tailoring mixed with Japanese 50s baseball culture is the main inspiration for Leon and Lim. It is a beautiful collection, eclectic in its preppy style and avant-garde attitude.

The extremely high-waisted trousers are matched with graphic tees printed with original images by Sakamoto himself. It’s the late 70s, the 80s, but more than a specific decade it’s the unique creative persona of Sakamoto.

For the Womenswear collection Leon and Lim channelled Sayoko Yamaguchi personality in the clashing of stripes, prints, coloured and bold sequined look: a love letter to the iconic top model and Kenzo Takada’s muse. Frills, feminine pieces next to more graphic ones.

The accessories are a striking element. Reminiscent of traditional Japanese accessories, they are reworked with pop colour, neon materials or stripes. The bags recall the beautiful satin pouches carried by Japanese women dressed up in kimonos during summer festivals with all that vintage allure.

All framed in a spectacular live performance by singer Lafawndah and aerial dancers on the façade’s courtyard of the show venue. An inspiring ending of this fashion week.

Junya Watanabe Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

Junya Watanabe’s aesthetic has always been played around the notion of classic menswear.

With his specific model casting and strong vision., also this season the Japanese designer collaborated with Carhartt, Levi’s, Karrimor and The North Face delivering garments played around the notion of heavy-duty clothing.

The jackets featuring the latter's backpack embedded at the back and cut-up all over with The North Face elements confirmed the subtle genius of this legendary designer.

There were beautiful oversized denim, Jackets that pointed at authenticity rather than a fashion exercise.

Junya Watanabe created a youthful collection but shown once again with grownup next-door-guy and often bearded models, outside of the usual male casting. His “legit way to wear workwear” as the show note mentioned.

Or we could say, his poetic ode to the “real” and to the “ordinary” versus this over-constructed fashion system

It’s a vision Junya Watanabe has been building since a while now and the beautiful collection displayed pieces that will easily find their way to the wardrobe of many

Lanvin Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

Workwear versus tailoring. Literally. Lucas Ossendrijver's virtuoso for Lanvin Men's Spring Summer 2018 exploded in a spectacular intricate composition where a dualism of silhouettes and materials merged as the model stormed in a situationist walk.

The factory worker jumpsuits, the tailored pants, the tech sporty anorak but in a checked classic English fabric, beautiful asymmetric knitwear and a strong vision that has graced Lanvin Menswear for more than 10 years.

The multitude of elements in this collection it’s as overwhelming as carefully balanced.

Reworked coats graced with graphic motives or with contrasting neon lining sometimes made into a reversible look. Trousers constructed with double sides where checked classic fabric at the front is mixed with a tech sporty finish at his back beautifully seamed together with a visible stitch. The check again – as in last Fall Winter collection – is one of the protagonists.

It’s a fascination for the classic menswear codes and its challenge to enrich it and enhance it with new elements and unexpected mix matching.

That play of the unexpected that Lucas Ossendrijver's delivers also in the accessory collection for Lanvin for Spring Summer 2018. A retro vintage camera leather pocket case, a massive squared bag as out of a messenger bike utility case with an engraved “L”, a necklace made out of an hand-hammered sculpture in metal covered with leather representing an incredibly detailed hand almost as out of an anatomical specimen collection.

It is an incredible collection of several influences, ideas, many genres, whispering one message: be yourself no matter what. www.lanvin.com

Art

Lunar Garden

"After spending many years traveling to Japan I became fascinated with the dry gardens in Kyoto, specifically the way in which the gardens are permanent yet completely ephemeral and remade every day,” said Daniel Arsham, an american artist who studied at the Cooper Union in New York. His new solo exhibition is on view at Visionaire in New York until the 5th of November.

The work, titled “Lunar Garden,” is a combination of architecture, sound, and an immersive environment that reinterprets the traditional Japanese rock garden: surreal and dreamlike, Arsham’s oasis uses a vibrant pink color scheme, features a moon-like orb spanning 3 meters, and peculiar patterns in the sand that the artist freshly rakes every day. Traditional greenery, such as the bonsai, has been replaced by a petrified tree and a lantern. For Arsham, the use of color is a new experiment. Previously, he has relied on a palette of black, white and gray tones. The reason for this shift is that Arsham is colorblind, but has recently been able to see vibrant colors thanks to special glasses: the radical change is his sense of sight and perception of color has prompted an important new visual language for the artist which can be witnessed for the first time in “Lunar Garden.”

Fashion

MSGM Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

This season marks a new chapter for Massimo Giorgetti’s MSGM after his departure from Emilio Pucci earlier this year. The move has been a catalyst for him to dedicate himself fully to his own brand MSGM, that’s been making street wear waves for quite some times now and shows no sign of slowing down.

Giorgetti’s MSGM Spring/summer 2018 Menswear collection was a well-travelled one. Drawing inspiration from modern street culture has been a constant for the designer who, this time, travelled to sunny California picking up on the inimitable vibes the west coast has to offer. From skaters and latter-day hippies to Burning Man festival-goers, Giorgetti’s references are as current as they are multi-faceted.

This season is all about workwear-inspired apparel in the form of madras parkas reworked into oversized volumes, paired with extra large backpacks. But colour is never far from the designer’s mind who offered his sports-alluding shapes an extra pop by pairing army green with bubblegum pink or turquoise while elsewhere graffiti and watercolour flower motifs elevated nylon ponchos and a chino pantsuit. Thick, cosy knitwear pieces embroidered with boisterous lettering were paired with short shorts and blousons were seen layered over boxy t-shirts.

The MSGM man’s sartorial identity may seem hard to pin down, but that’s exactly where the beauty is: as he floats between identities, influences and moods he picks his battles of rebellion carefully while remaining in the now.

Missoni Spring/Summer 2018

Even though it wasn’t made explicitly clear, all elements point to a collection dedicated to an urban gardener, quite possibly Angela Missoni’s father whom her mother fondly referred to as ‘her gardener’. With a long-standing love for gardening that spans across generations of Missoni offsprings, this appears to be a well-founded claim.

Missoni’s style has always been characterised by an ease and effortlessness that many brands have tried to emulate throughout the years. Tried being the operative word here as this is exactly the element that should be missing from such an equation.

Lavender, periwinkle, indigo, cherry, blossom, apricot, shadow blue, mint, bamboo and red birch fabrics were dyed, blended and then washed to achieve that faded, almost blurred effect that screams Missoni from miles away.

The silhouettes were relaxed in a way that oozes stylish comfort, accentuated by fabrics that enhance that same aesthetic: slouchy utility pants with a lived-in feel in linen, for example or lightweight wools and cotton crepes. Denim was also given its time to shine in Missoni’s Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear collection – it was washed an appeared to have accompanied the man wearing it on many a relaxed adventures.

A bright and summery mood without trends or frills, bells or whistles, a calm joyfulness that exudes happiness much like a well-tended garden under the summer sun.

Marni Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

“Lost and Found” – the tile of Marni’s Spring Summer 2018 collection that leaves so much to be imagined and so much more to be discovered. Convoluted as the meaning of that phrase may be, for Marni it acted as the catalyst for a collection that preaches the enjoyment of life through self-discovery.

In his second collection as creative director for Marni, Francesco Risso offered a collection of wearable clothes with a non-conformist touch. An air of randomness characterises the collection of roomy trousers and shirts that appear to have been de- and then re-constructed, sometimes held together with the fabric swatches for a DIY allure.

Sailboat prints and Hawaiian motifs make an appearance alongside garments of a more bookish, almost nerdy, nature that stay true to the brand’s retro tones. As Risso himself put it, this season’s pieces ‘surf the typography of a city’. This is office wear on holiday, where a tie on the beach is just as relevant as sailboats on a suit and Jamaican accents paired with a dash of the 20s. Knits appear shrunken and unfinished with their misaligned stripes.

Rules appear to have been thrown out the window here as the Marni man dresses himself freely, as if he were a collector of moments who may intentionally leave items behind only to retrieve them later. Perhaps even finding himself along the way. www.marni.com

Fashion

Moncler Gamme Bleu Spring/Summer 2018 Menswear

Thom Browne brought his signature hand-made tailoring sensibility to Moncler Gamme Bleu Spring Summer 2018 Menswear collection. Thus was born a perfect conflation between Browne’s flair and the brand’s expertise in active sportswear and outerwear for a collection that highlights an ease in seasonal transitions.

Down-filled looks made with over-sized plastic zippers and worn over identical looks without the down-filling epitomise the concept of smooth change. The collection was split into three colour-coded subcategories: grey and grey and white, red, white and blue and formal.

Trademark Thom Browne tailored pieces were present in traditional suit material iterations as well as more technical versions that incorporated highly functional fabrics such as technical wool and cashmere, nylon, ripstop, mesh and rainproof slicker.

HUGO Spring/Summer 2018 Fashion Show

Presenting its mens- and womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 collection, HUGO transformed a factory in Florence into a candle-lit fashion show.

As a tribute to the spirit of the artist, the collection and the space itself illustrated all kinds of sketches and paint strokes that symbolises art and expression. An artist's unconventional perspective upon things, living according to his own rules with an sensitive yet careless attitude, just like the brand characteristics of HUGO, served as inspiration for the collection.

Many of the styles are in collaboration with the Designer Charles Jeffrey, with cut and shape inspired from the first HUGO collection from the year 1993, alongside completely redefined tailoring. The collection also presented oversize jackets and jumpsuits to create a unisex look with a color palette inspired from the artist's studio, reaching from neutral tones to shades of blue, yellow and of course the classic HUGO red.

For HUGO, this Spring/Summer collection is also all about the accessories. From oversized men’s bags, sneakers with chunky soles, to long earrings or pearl chains, they all contributed to a playful look.

Amongst M.I.A, Anwar Hadid and many others, present at the show was also ZOO Magazine’s current cover star, Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis, all wearing head-to-toe HUGO.

The Beats and The Vanities, Larry Fink Exhibition at Armani/SIlos

A collection of exquisite black and white photographs from Larry Fink’s The Beats and The Vanities books will comprise the latest exhibition at Armani/Silos. The exhibition presents a unique opportunity for the legendary photographer’s work and idiosyncratic vision to be experienced as one as they have never before been shown together before.

Giorgio Armani himself is a great fan of Larry Fink’s work, finding his ability to capture form and line in such a fluid way something he can relate to as well as a designer. “Fink is a jazz fan, and you can almost view these images in terms of musical composition – people in flow, surprising us, possessing an unconscious sensuality”, he adds.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in a progressive and politically active family, Fink cut his teeth as a photographer as part of the late beat generation, when he hooked up with a group of beats at the age of 17. Political activism, protests and marches formed the photographers worldview who documented the times through his medium-format camera.

His pictures serve as a time capsule and a candid look into his world, perfectly capturing the sense of romance and rebellion that characterised the underground jazz-fuelled youth movement of the time. A regular editorial contributor for prestigious titles such as The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, it was the latter that recognised his ability to bring them something different if let loose to create.

His visual record of the famous and their surrounding courtiers is not concerned with who’s who – rather it focuses on what’s happening. As Fink himself describes it, he tries to embrace the souls of all people, regardless of their conditions.

The Beats and The Vanities, Photographs by Larry Fink will be on show at the Armani/Silos until the end of July 2017.

Dior Fall/Winter 2017

Taking the reins of a legendary fashion house is always a challenge. Maria Grazia Chiuri is not new to the job. She, together with Pier Paolo Piccioli, took the helm of Valentino one year after Sir Garavani’s retirement, keeping high the stakes of the house, bringing it back to international acclaim.

At her second collection for Dior, Chiuri’s wish to bring a revolution and play with the house’s codes is even more clear. She is a woman, and as every Italian woman, she is naturally engaged in elevating women’s power and society’s perception of the female stance. If you were expecting a Valentino’s modus operandi you were mistaken.

Maria Grazia Chiuri is not easily affected by predictions. She has a vision and she is certainly not playing the safe card. Dior Fall Winter 2017 was entirely declined in shades of blue, a blue that Chiuri found in the archives of Dior – particularly on a taffeta silk dress designed in ’54 - and quickly got fascinated by. It’s the blue of uniforms, of elegant evening dresses and certainly of denim. It’s a young contemporary collection. Chiuri wishes to picture the contemporary woman emerging the tense political climate of our time.

Last season’s motto “We should be all feminists” left the place to a more consistent and strong statement where the clothes speak by themselves. The basques created by Stephen Jones give a further accent in this sense. It almost as we see a troupe of suffragettes, marching one after the other advocating women’s freedom to dress however they find fit.

Like for his eponymous label, Anderson is able to create a dialogue between the arts, where fashion is at its centre, without any stretch. The romantic and enchanting feeling reminiscent of Gone with the Wind’s Rossella O’Hara ball gowns together with a playful splash of Commedia Dell’Arte’s Pierrot and Harlequin, where the polka dots and the western hat felt perfectly parts of the same image. But also the signature handkerchief hem dresses and a parade of countless accessories declined in new colours like the polka dot iconic puzzle bag.

As in every season we see experimentations with butter lamb leather in exceptional peplum waist-cinching tops, dresses, suits, outwear in a variety of colours: lipstick red, moss green, and the forever favourite almond and black. There are so many fascinations Anderson took into account for Loewe Fall Winter 2017 and it just feel fresh and captivating.

Nicholas Kirkwood Fall/Winter 2017

“The Dark Matters”, for Fall/Winter 2017 Nicholas Kirkwood created a series of monochromatic shoes with a strong 80s aesthetic.

Geometric and graphic lines adorn the heels and boots for this strong and architectural collection. The English designer - inspired by artists like Daniel Buren - used a sculptural approach and the forever-favourite feminine/masculine dichotomy references.

The austerity of black in contrast with lurex and silver mirror smooth leather uppers, plexi-heels, pearls inlaid into a metal frame sole and luxurious black suede, adorn the collection in a play of contrasts. The name of the collection also refers to a new fabric created by Kirkwood: a black glittering stretchy textile used for a new sock-boot and a slip-on mule. It’s a rich and sophisticated collection with new silhouettes and the omnipresent irreverent mood of Kirkwood’s workwww.nicholaskirkwood.com

Fashion

Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 2017 Ready-to-Wear

We have come to a point in fashion when history has been elevated without precedent. There is a lot of the 80s Monsieur Yves we know in the new Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. For Saint Laurent Fall Winter 2017 there is again a respectful reference to the history but also a lot of the Vaccarello DNA that we have seen in his eponymous label for many years.

That sexiness, that daring and fierce attitude the Italo-Belgian designer infused in his own shows season after season before becoming the new creative director of the historical Maison. And then there is the show vibe. Anthony Vaccarello presented his second collection for Saint Laurent in a surreal, and provoking atmosphere inside the under-construction site of the new brand’s head quarters in rue Bellechasse at the Left Bank of the Seine. The rain pouring down, the scaffolding as backdrop, the loud pulsing music as in any squat party, was the perfect set as to declare a new beginning, the shaping of the new identity of Saint Laurent in fieri.

Bold short dresses in velvet, caramel and black leather matched with long up-to-the-neck gloves as to create a tromp l’oeil effect for maxi shoulders. Thigh-high boots in patent leather and rhinestones with ruches - sure to become the obsession of next season. But also strong day looks with an invasive sense of masculinity: denim with mohair sweaters, shearling jackets, or a simple tee. It’s that subversive soul that Yves Saint Laurent himself was known for. It’s that unexpected atmosphere that everyone is waiting with anticipation at this fashion house. As his predecessor, Vaccarello will make everyone want to wear his clothes. With no exceptions.

Burlesque for the Senses

Few cities come close to Berlin’s notoriety — renowned for its progressive art scene
and home to internationally-famed nightclubs, the city seems to constantly reel in
artists, free thinkers and hipsters from all over the world, creating a buzzing, infectious atmosphere that gives way to a thriving art scene. But something unique and
glamorous lies behind the doors of the Berlin Provocateur, the latest gem in hospitality that opened its doors to the public in March 2017.

An other-timely experience that is patiently waiting to be discovered channels the exuberance of Parisian 1920s style, and places creativity and joie de vivre at the forefront. Think of enigmatic songstress édith Piaf and the dandy gentleman that was Oscar Wilde. Where would these legends choose to sojourn, relax and recline should they have been transported to modern day Berlin through some inexplicable twist of fate? With that very concept in mind, Micky Rosen and Alex Urseanu, the Frankfurt visionaries and hoteliers behind Gekko Group, brought to life an oh-so Parisian oasis in the heart of the German capital. Describing the immersive experience that greets guests upon arrival, but also permeates the Provocateur’s modus operandi in its entirety, is no easy feat. Rarely are you able to truly feel transported to an iconic city, let alone a seminal era for the arts and culture.

But the Provocateur and its fifty-eight stunning rooms, bar and restaurant beg to differ — and rightly so, as they give ‘hospitality with a passion’, Gekko Group’s motto,an entirely new meaning. Amsterdam-based designer Saar Zafrir is the creative mastermind behind the hotel’s modern burlesque character. Sensual yet intricate details coupled with warm colours and intriguing textures comprise a beautifully serene ambiance. The journey begins at the lobby, where an elevator from 1912 fulfils its prescribed function, while simultaneously acting as a portal to French je ne sais quoi. What’s more, the guest rooms hold further surprises: at the simple push of a button, guests are given the opportunity to delve further into the reverie of the Parisian past, guided by music and images that are projected on the walls. Unapologetic in its Frenchness, yet somehow contemporary as ever, the Provocateur’s interiors feature luxurious, plush furnishings in warm hues and details that accentuate its glamorous influences. Duc Ngo, one of the most influential figures on Berlin’s flourishing restaurant scene, is responsible for the Golden Phoenix restaurant, where he brings to life his personal vision of fusion cuisine. At the Provocateur bar, arguably the establishment’s beating heart, guests are invited to taste a menu that boasts several creations with clear Franco-Chinese influences and a tastefully provocative burlesque attitude. With its hotel, restaurant, bar and event room, the Provocateur offers all that matters for a stay in Berlin. No sense is left unsatisfied — and that is without even leaving the premises. A case of ‘stay up all night and sleep all day’.

Make Love Not Walls

Through photographic material and a series of global actions, Diesels breaks down all barriers in communication with its #makelovenotwalls movement and tears down the mental and physical walls that separate us. In a time where hate, walls and fear seem to prevail, the brand urges us all to unite for the greater good.

“At Diesel we have a strong position against hate and more than ever we want the worlds to know that. Love and togetherness is crucial in creating a society we all want to live in, and the future we all deserve” explains Diesel Artistic Director Nicola Formichetti.

For this campaign, Formichetti collaborates with legendary artist and photographer David LaChapelle using the Wall as a symbol of separation and breaking it down to create strong stories through a simple yet powerful narrative: walls are built and the heart-shaped Diesel love tank tears them down. As a symbol of separation is reinterpreted into a symbol of unison and flowers fills the space, a celebration of freedom and love is born. Diesel is known for pushing the boundaries creatively.

From its 1995 LaChapelle campaign with two kissing sailors, to this year's anti-wall ads, it encourages us to let fear aside and focus on what brings us all together rather than what divides us. If You've got walls, Diesel's got wrecking balls! www.diesel.com

Fashion

Mode Suisse Edition 11

February 8th 2017 marked the showcase of Mode Suisse Edition 11 at the Migros Museum fur Gegenwartskunst in Zurich. Once again, a wealth of design talent was represented. Among them high-flying label Julia Seeman, Garnison's post-dandy menswear, LYN Lingerie's luxury handmande collection, Julian Zigerli's second appearance of womenswear and gender-fluid menswear that have made him a household name as well as Berlin-based experimentalist womenswear label studiowinkler. Additionally WUETHRICHFUERST made their much-anticipated debut.

The evening's highlights included the showcase of Masters' students Jeremy Gaillard, Flore Girard de Langlade and Vanessa Schindler, who is the winner of the Prix d'Excellene Hans Wildorf. Additonally Zurich favourites enSoie had the audience craving for its nonchalant style while Vivienne Rohner strutted the catwalk laid with previously unseen carpets by Schonstaub. Special guest designerDorothee Vogel's desirable duvet coats and floaty dresses ended the show.

Edition 12 of Mode Suisse will take place in Zurich in September 2017.

OFF WHITE Fall/Winter 2017

“The show is real” Virgil Abloh told us backstage after the show. Real and now, much like the urge to touch the everyday life of many in various forms. For OFF-WHITE Menswear Fall/Winter 2017 collection Abloh stood up for a new chapter of the brand. Oversized outwear gives way to tailored silhouettes. The extreme youthful approach is now moving into a more grownup vision.

The spectacular set design featuring real fading leaves and shedding trees inside the harsh concrete brutalist UNESCO building, wraps the collection in a surreal atmosphere. As we walk inside the venue we feel overwhelmed by this recreated landscape. It almost urges you to just take a stroll and roll in what looks like a wintery park’s forgotten route.

Checked coats with embroidered foliage, denim printed with flying doves and adorned with golden leaves by London based jeweller Duffy. Exquisite knitwear permeates the whole collection, both for men and women, featuring the brand’s signature bar logo. In all its wearability Seeing Things – as named by Abloh - is a romantic and ambitious collection yet staying true to OFF-WHITE’s identity rooted in the streets.

A new way of seeing, as resonating in the words of British writer John Berger’s Ways of Seeing, was chosen as the opening narration for the show: “The images has come to you, you don’t go to them. The days of pilgrimage are over. It is the image of the painting which travels now”.

Y/PROJECT Fall/Winter 2017

A mobius of forms, shaped in the seam lines, leading to dramatic volumes. Beautifully balanced but also true to his roots, Glenn Martens created a collection where Y/Project's identity is declined to a new sphere, all played through Martens’ all-time favourite ironic approach to dualities.

The low and the high, the elites and the masses, deconstructed garments and slouchy fits. Between historical reinvention and street culture, Y/Project's Menswear collection for Fall/Winter 2017 continues to master that relaxed and youthful attitude that has characterized Martens’ work from the start.

Doubled silk shirts, deconstructed faux fur, reinvented corduroy suits, slouchy oversized track suits straight from a rapper's videoclip, followed by the impressive sweatsuits with wired piping in a blobbing volume, reminiscent of that mantle draping we have seen on 1808 Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’s portrait of Napoleon.

As Napoleon and consort printed on scarves in football merch fashion - part of Martens' playful reference along with other royal couples such as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette - steal the scene and we cannot choose. We can only root for this talented Belgian designer.

NEW TENDENCY x Meiré und Meiré

New Tendency showed its 2017 product innovations at the Meiré und Meiré Factory.

The Bauhaus tradition has influenced the development process of everyday contemporary objects for New Tendency. Their furnishings serve to compose an ideal setting for modern working environments. With the emergence of co-working spaces, New Tendency have picked up on the need of flexible and functional configurations and strive to inspire those who are surrounded by their creations in their daily lives and their professional environments.

Showcasing their work in one of the leading creative agencies in Germany was therefore a natural progression.

Among other objects, New Tendency presented its December Edition at the Meiré und Meiré factory, a line that was the result of a fruitful collaboration with the agency, furthering their devotion to creative partnerships. The Artist's Edition of the lamp served as the inspirational springboard for the creation of New Tendency's premium line, Black Label that will soon be expanded to include more exclusive pieces with clear geometrical components.

Raw structures, industrial materials and natural elements formed the perfect hybrid framework for New Tendency's minimalist yet progressive designs. The presentation at the Meiré und Meiré factory didn't treat New Tendency's furnishings as conventional exhibits; they were instead integrated in the agency's daily goings-on serving as both a working space and a meeting point.

For New Tendency's exhibition at the Meiré und Meiré Factory, Mike Meire grouped the December edition pieces with side tables from the META line to create an island in the middle of the space. The installation was staged on raw concrete and stone slabs between dry plants, paint buckets and cardboard boxes. Fluorescent lights floated above it, different colours and textures of plastic foil sheets hanging over the top. The industrial ensemble was characterised by deliberately rudimentary fragmented elements that served as a beautiful contrast to the high-end claim of the products on display.

In the age of digitalisation, where products are becoming increasingly perfect Mike Meiré felt the need to infuse the products with textural and tactile elements proposing 'Brutalism x Redefining Nature' and paying tribute to Le Corbusier's New Brutalism.

Vivienne Westwood summer trip to the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean has always served as a source of inspiration for poets and artists. A symbol of eternal beauty, of endless summers. A beauty that many have attempted to explain with words but that is better left to feelings and emotions.

Andreas Kronthaler's Spring/Summer 2017 'Europa' collection for Vivienne Westwood is a case in point. The collection is an ode to the Mediterranean's laid-back summer vibes and evokes images of sandy beaches, sunsets by the sea and days spent in nothing more than a bikini. But much like everything that bear's Vivienne Westwood's signature, there's a political statement to be read between the lines: 'Europa' is a continent in crisis, struggling to come to grips with the humanitarian crisis of mass migration, an issue that stains its reputation but somehow doesn't distract from its charm.

Legendary photographer Juergen Teller shot the campaign in Greece, with the picturesque white houses and blue waters serving as the perfect backdrop. Showcasing the garments as well as the scenery beautifully, Teller also managed to highlight the Mediterranean's grotesque facade with a mixture of sophistication and grunge very synonymous with the Vivienne Westwood brand.

Former sex-symbol Pamela Anderson features in the campaign providing a contrast that also links to the power of Mother Nature. The result is simple and delicious, just like a plate of spaghetti.

BILLIONAIRE Fall/Winter 2017: Texas under spotlights

Once upon a time, soap opera characters served as primary sources of style inspiration and this season Billionnaire by Philipp Plein travelled back in time to pick up the trend. Remember Dallas?

Set in Texas, the show reached cult phenomenon status and was Philipp Plein's moodboard for Fall/Winter 2017. The Billionnaire man is a wealthy and stylish globetrotter: skiing in Aspen and gambling in Monte Carlo. The collection reflects the attitude of a character that isn't shy about showing off his personality.

Snakeskin jackets, chinchilla bombers and full-length overcoats feature alongside astrakhan and crocodile skins as the ultimate statements of elegance whether on the slopes or in the city. Trousers are high-waisted and denim takes centre stage in trousers and double-breasted jackets.

A dandy poem by Alexander McQueen

A dandy spirit that explores the deepest sides of Oscar Wilde's soul during an esoteric trip that Germans call Wanderlust. A contemporary gentleman traveling from London's Tite Street to Paris Saint Germain seeking inspiration from the world that surrounds him.

Alexander McQueen documents this journey through his latest menswear collection, paying homage to the man who has become synonymous with the term 'esthete'. British tailoring plays a central role in a collection that encapsulates and celebrates the house's trademark codes. Precise and elongated cuts in suits with peaked shoulders and legged or flare trouser silhouettes – worn cropped above the ankle and sometimes with a satin or velvet band on the sides, offer their elegance to coats and jackets alongside jacquards with peacock feathers for the most daring dandies. The collection also explores and plays with proportions, combining classic and more of-the-moment oversized fits to give birth to a new hybrid of men's shirt-dresses. A worn-in feel is brought forward by mohair knits, frayed at the edges and laddered with holes. For the evening, Alexander McQueen’s Fall/Winter 2017 features tuxedos, smoking jackets and robes with satin quilted reveres, embroidered velvet and jacquard to give an incredible taste of elegance to a collection that is worth of an old-fashioned gentleman.

McQueen's latest collection is a true ode to Oscar Wilde, done in incomparable style and honing in on elements that have granted the brand the status it holds today. No doubt it will be at the receiving end of countless praises this season.

A 'do it Yourself' attitude runs through the brand's creative direction this season, a path that the four diverse Dior Homme personalities will follow, eventually converging to personify the house's vision of Homme. The campaign's four faces may embody different disciplines of modern art but through Van Assche's direction, they provide an all-encompassing, cohesive undertone for the French house's men's collection.

Interestingly, hip-hop is made elegant in this line giving birth to intriguing pieces such as the dark floral garments designed by Japanese artist Toru Kamei.

Shot through the streets of Paris and in studio by photographer Willy Vanderperre, the campaign pairs heritage and an innovative rock, raw-edge mood that will undoubtedly make it a key player in Dior's already impressive campaign portfolio.

Schiaparelli’s Haute Couture moment has come

Schiaparelli Maison, Chanel's historical rival is definitely back on the scene after a long hiatus. This January marks a milestone for the celebrated maison as the French Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture decided to enlist Schiaparelli among the 15 fashion haute couture brands existing in the world.

Ravaged by the aftermath of the war, Elsa Schiaparelli closed her iconic Paris "Schiap Shop" in 1954, the very same year that saw the release of her autobiography "Shocking Life". It was only three years ago that Italian businessman Diego Della Valle decided to revive Schiaparelli, believing in the power of its indomitable style and unparalleled innovative techniques.

Alongside stores of long-established brands in the field such as Chanel, Givenchy and Dior to name a few, Elsa's shop in Paris' Place Vendome is opening its doors again to pick up where it left of, starting a new chapter in haute couture history.

LOUIS VUITTON CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY IN BERLIN

France and Germany join in for the celebration of 30 years of Louis Vuitton, the brand synonymous in everyone's mind and many hearts with élégance française.

Louis Vuitton celebrated its birthday with the opening of its latest concept store in Berlin's Kurfürstendamm. Celebrities and influencers from the world of fashion were present to mark the joyous occasion. A combination of craftsmanship, savoir-faire, continuous innovation and heritage - all keywords for the long established brand as well as the city that played host to its celebrations.

The world through Henk Schiffmacher’s “camereyes”

When Texas, Henk Schffmacher's daughter discovered her father's old 35mm negatives in a dusty drawer, she knew they had to be exposed for the world to see.

Dutch tattoo artist, Henk Schiffmacher has become known for his energetic and observational photographic work that is now being collected and exhibited for the first time ever. Highlighting the best and worst facets of modern society, this eclectic ensemble of pictures is a real representation of the world we live in through Schiffmacher's camera.

Taken between 1970 and 1985 these pictures give us a raw insight into the world of youths, bikers and tattoo fetishists from all around the globe – from Las Vegas, L.A., Amsterdam, and Tokyo to Mumbai, Manila, San Francisco and Kuala Lumpur.

This makes for an interesting juxtaposition: a wild mix of cultures, nationalities and excess against the backdrop of vintage cityscapes and timeless scenarios. Schiffmacher's photography offers a unique and brilliant view of the world as it was four decades ago.

PIRELLI CALENDAR 2017: An Unfiltered Emotion

“In a time when women are represented in the media and everywhere else, as ambassadors of perfection and youth, I thought it was important to remind everyone that there is a different beauty”

‘Emotional’, the title chosen by Peter Lindbergh for the 2017 edition of the iconic Pirelli Calendar. No other word could strike such a chord in women’s hearts that, nowadays, find themselves fighting against unrealistic beauty standards imposed by society. Fighting to fit in a world in which all things beauty are accompanied by a certain degree of fakery.

Pirelli Calendars have always been seen as conveyors of a specific message of perfection that could be hardly afforded by us, mere mortals. Following Annie Leibovitz’s thread of last year, Lindbergh decided to let beloved actresses shine through their nakedness. Not a nakedness imposed by the lack of garments but by the absence of filters.

The choice of abstaining from Photoshop editing is indeed the leading theme of the 2017 Calendar, which includes actresses like Uma Thurman, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet and Julianne Moore in all their natural feminine splendor. The beauty that speaks about the courage of being yourself in your own sensibility.

Lindbergh’s message wants to reach all women who feel worthless, despicable, and inadequate in a way that only an artist of his caliber could achieve.

Monochrome Royalty

Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto is renowned worldwide for his dark, punk and japanese inspired clothing that has been victorious in the fashion world since his 1981 debut at Paris Fashion Week. The general vibe of Yamamoto’s work is one of deconstruction, whether in form or in idea, his clothing presents an antithesis of traditional Western dressmaking using harsh and impactful silhouettes with a monochromatic color scheme.This crowned king of moncohrome represents his design values across any medium, and it seems only logical that his design for swiss watch brand Hublot is entitled ‘Big Bang GMT All Black Yohji Yamamoto’, made to celebrate the grand opening of its new flagship Boutique on Chuo-dori Street in Ginza, Tokyo. When Hublot launched a pioneering concept: "Invisible visibility", in 2006, the all-black design of this new limited edition expressed a philosophy symbolising the very essence of the brand which now seems to compliment Yohji Yamamoto’s own design character. The timepiece displays two different time zones, local time is read easily via the conventional main hand while the time at home is indicated using a second arrow-shaped hour hand. True to the All Black concept, tone on tone, the signature of Yohji Yamamoto can be discovered at six o'clock. “This watch can easily display the time zones of the two cities where I'm based, Tokyo and Paris. Moreover, the hours are invisible. As a person who isn’t always forthcoming, I find that highly amusing.” reflects Yohji Yamamoto.

www.hublot.com

Fashion

Healing

The art industry has endured a huge loss this year leaving artists, gallerists and curators scrambling to adapt to the new world changes. Thankfully the past couple of months have seen cultural industries reopening, first, in China and more recently galleries and museums have begun to reopen all across Europe. The pandemic has meant that museums have had to rely more on their online presence, showing virtual exhibitions and online gallery tours. Brussels-based collector Alain Servais has said, “Art is not made to be seen online—except, for the art that is designed to be seen online.” The work of Johan Tahon is rich with emotion, the physical space occupied by his work exudes a powerful presence, one that is difficult to even describe let alone experience through a screen, one must be able to witness the physicality of his work in order to experience it fully. Following the cancellation and postponement of several shows, Tahon has announced a slew of upcoming exhibition dates scross Europe and further east. In collaboration with Belgian consulate in Guangzhou, Tahon's upcoming solo exhibit, Mercury Orb will be presented in Y Space Gallery, Guangzhou (CHN) June 5 - July 15. Exhibiting in Amsterdam, Brussels, Solothurn and Otegem over the next year, enthusiasts will find plenty of opportunity to witness Johan Tahon’s artwork in a number of different settings.

www.johantahon.com

Fashion

Savoir Faire

Meaning to possess the ability to act appropriately, to be able to adapt and knowing what to do in any situation, Savoir Faire is an appropriate phrase to use when referring to Fendi’s iconic Peekaboo bag. The Italian house has just released a new video that exalts the adaptable nature of the bag, showing three different takes on the accessory. The male and female universes collide in this fendi-scape which presents the Peekaboo X-Lite for Men with laser-cut workmanship, the Peekaboo for men where Selleria stitching is combined with the intarsio fur and the Women’s Peekaboo, in different sizes, with leather interlacing. The fil rouge of the video is the Roman maison’s trademark yellow, while the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana shows impressive architectural perspectives rounding together the video’s purpose of highlighting the Italian houses creativity and unparalleled craft.

Equine excellence

In a celebration of the classic Arceau watch designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, Hermès presents a new expression of the French maisons’ creativity and expertise. Imagined by artist Gianpaolo Pagni, the “Cheval Cosmique” composition combines graphic undulations with the silhouette of a horse from Émile Hermès’ private collection. Produced in two limited series of 24 each, the watch is powered by a mechanical self-winding movement which, like the dial, case and bracelet, is developed in the Hermès Horloger workshops. Renowned for its unparalleled craftsmanship, Hermès dazzles on the dial of the Arceau Cheval Cosmique, adorned with a sculpted equine silhouette and waves in engraved gold, highlighted with a dash of black lacquer, set against an aventurine or mother-of pearl and enamel background beautifully paired with an abyss blue or Chantilly alligator strap. www.hermes.com

Fashion

Big Bang One Click Marc Ferrero

The work of French artist Marc Ferrero has been a source of inspiration for many, being one of the most distinguished representatives of Storytelling Art. Swiss watch brand Hublot has once again been inspired by Ferrero’s emblematic work, ‘Lipstick’ for their second collaboration that pays homage to 21st-century women. This time, the artist known for his typically colourful palette tells a story in black and white, in the form of two limited-edition numbered models in a run of 100 pieces. “I love the power of black and white. Shade and light. Yin and Yang. One is profound, unclassifiable, eternal. The other is subtle, ethereal, timeless. They symbolise antitheses and complementarity. Choosing black and white means getting straight to the point without an excess of tonalities. The black and white make ‘Lipstick’ even more graphic and its red lipstick—more magnetic” - Marc Ferrero

Bottega Veneta: Charitable Aspects

Since the spread of COVID-19, there has been a deluge of donations being piped into health services and scientific research as people bound together in an effort to ease the ongoing pandemic. Among those is Italian brand Bottega Venta, who have announced their support for scientific research in Italy following the spread of Coronavirus. Funding for two-year scholarships across Veneto, Lazio and Campania they will contribute to research and the support of Italian medical staff, from the current pandemic and beyond. “We recognise that supporting the medical professionals who are saving the lives of others must be our priority during this time, which includes those working tirelessly to tackle the devastating impact of Covid-19 and its enduring effects, through scientific research.” Daniel Lee, Bottega Veneta.

www.bottegaveneta.com

Fashion

Gute Luft

Through this collective experience, we have come to a point that has caused us to stop, and reevaluate our lives and the way we live them. The lack of unnecessary movement and human activity has resulted in lowering of emissions and even some signs of nature ‘healing’ itself. In the wake of this, people are reexamining their values and rethinking our consumerist nature and asking what the future will be like post-pandemic?

‘Gute Luft’ is a campaign to playfully draw attention to these thoughts and raise awareness for how negligent society has treated nature, resources, animals and people. Through this, THINK INC. hopes to steer people towards a new, more ethical future. It encourages people to share their Gute Luft moment along with the text, ‘What we have learned now, we should not forget in good times. Show your attitude and take responsibility. Your ethical actions count - during and after corona’, in a hope to spread a hopeful message.

Fashion

Brands Giving Back: Fendi

In support for their country and it’s healthcare system, Italian maison Fendi has donated €250,000 to the organizations in the Regione Lombardia and donated masks to health professionals in Regione Toscana. The Carla Fendi Foundation, established in 2007 to aid the preservation of cultural heritage, also made a €100,000 donation to support the intensive care unit at the Presidio Sanitario Columbus in Rome. In a recent post on instagram Fendi expressed a message of positivity and hope, “Aware of the difficult moments that the world is going through, we are committed to designing the best way to start again, stronger than ever, supporting Fendi’s production ecosystem and its values.”

Virtual Arts
#Rijksmuseum

In light of museum closures, the national museum of the Netherlands has launched ten ways to experience the museum and its works from the comfort of your own home. Presenting online tours, educational videos and research information, the gallery successfully utilises the online sphere to educate its patrons in this time of crisis. Launched in 2012, the Rijksstudio has been a great resource since its inception, allowing users to create their own collection with over 700,000 high resolution artworks available. While the Gallery of Honor has reopened via an online platform, Rijksmuseum Masterpieces Up Close, showing an adjacent look at classics such as Vermeer’s Milkmaid or Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. On top of all this the Rijksmuseum hosts Rijkstube and Rijkscreative, as well as bundles of social media content for education and entertainment. www.rijksmuseum.nl

Fashion

Rimowa #NewHorizons Project

These are exceptional times, the hustle and bustle of 21st-century life has been paused and for now we are grounded, waiting for the future to unfold before us. “Right now, as we stand in solidarity with everyone from the confines of our homes, we can't help but imagine all the places we've once explored and the new horizons we long to discover. With our movement so unnaturally restricted, many of us have entered a suspended state of longing, hoping, and dreaming.” says Emilie de Vitis CMO Rimowa. For now, we’re reflecting on where we’ve been, dreaming of where we’ll someday go, and who we’ll share it with when we get there. Rimowa’s #NewHorizons series joins forces with talented photographers from across the globe, reflecting the destinations of past travels and those closer to home that have inspired and captured our imaginations. We dream of sunny holidays and live vicariously through Austin Leis dreamlike imagery in sun-drenched Spain whilst Marie Dehe takes us on a tour of southern England in her pastel- filled images. Each week Rimowa will unveil a selection of intimate travel diaries to remind us of the world beyond our everyday. Evocative and immersive, the visually rich series aims to transform our present moment in the way that exceptional art always has.

Dior’s Delectable Books

Originally we looked to literature for faith or education but today we look to books for all kinds of reasons. In these extra long days spent in our homes we find ourselves on the hunt for some sort of escape to ease our anxieties and allow us even for a moment to forget about all that is going on in the world outside. Whether it’s to escape, to dream or to better ourselves books are a wonderful medium that allows the realms of art, imagination and reality to collide. So, it makes perfect sense for Dior to bring us a selection of ten books to take you on a timeless journey celebrating the magic of couture.

Featuring a selection of ten luxurious livres the books showcase the maison’s history and explores the spellbinding secrets of the iconic brand. Escape to 20th century Paris with the personal story of Monsieur Dior by delving into Dior by Dior or discover the vibrant, captivating work of Peter Lindbergh in Dior Images. Let yourself be carried away by the magic of the Maison’s heritage, brought into focus by the greatest fashion photographers thanks to a wealth of reading material to inspire and lead you behind the scenes to a world of elegance and beauty, in the comfort of your home.

Les Parfums Louis Vuitton x Heures d'Absence

In 1927, at the height of the Roaring Twenties in all their creative effervescence, Louis Vuitton launched its first perfume, Heures d'Absence. Named after the country home the Vuitton family acquired in the Seine-et-Marne region in the 1920s, the perfumes recipe has been lost and no living person knows what the original perfume smelled like. However, we know that it was a perfume that reflected the time of its creation, celebrating the new modes of transport that were then emerging, a scent to inspire you to shake off the blues and seize the day.

Now, in an attempt to not recreate but reinterpret the classic perfume the maison creates a perfume with a profusion of fresh flowers, an ode to nature and allegorical figures of joy. "Everything is done in service of the flowers, there’s no element to rein them in or disturb their message," the Master Perfumer explains. Warm vanilla notes of Peruvian balm amplify the sophistication of the fragrance while a floral apotheosis with a hint of Sri Lankan sandalwood gives a rich juxtaposition. These elements along with sambac jasmine and may rose compose a melody that feels never-ending.

#PomellatoForWomen

Although most of us may be struggling with the new reality with work and events cancelled and in reality, life seems to be on hold. In reality, we are blessed that we get to stay safe indoors, doing our part by flattening the curve. Not everyone has the luxury of feeling safe in their own home, for victims of domestic violence, most commonly women, their reality has been warped far worse than most. Suddenly victims are isolating with their abuser, with very little options to seek help. In a measure to battle against this crisis, brands are scrambling to help in whatever way they can, Italian jewelry brand Pometallo is no different. Founded in Milan during a revolutionary time for women’s emancipation, Pomellato jewelry was created with independent women in mind and in 2017 they launched the #PomellatoForWomen campaign for Pometallo’s 50th anniversary. Building on this, Pomellato along with sister brand Dodo have now launched an awareness campaign and crowdfunding initiative to support women victims of domestic violence. Sabina Belli, Pomellato Group CEO has said, “We were alarmed to learn of the resurgence of domestic and sexual abuse against women, directly related to the restraints and pressures of confinement. Pomellato will always act decisively to support womenkind, and we want women victims to know they are not alone.”

Premiata SS20 Sizey Collection

With credit to the internet and to social media we are now living in the age of nostalgia. Looking back has always been part of fashion evolution, as new generations take snippets from the past and remake past-trends into modern fashion moments. From parent-style shoes to super-sporty high tops to soaring spice girl platforms, the 90s spawned a style evolution that only got bigger as the years went on. Now taking inspiration from 90s basketball sneakers, Italian footwear brand Premiata presents the Sizey collection, with international best selling sneakers Sharky and Drake. The styles are named after dragons and sharks, creatures that exist beyond the real or predate the world ultimately generating urban symbols of power. Constructed from fine Italian leathers and fabrics, Premiata shoes take sublimate features of the 90s basketball sneakers to devote a daring composition of the upper and a complex joints bottom on the mythical air system. Using sophisticated production techniques, premium fabrics, eclectic symbols and interesting color contrasts the styles take a trend and build on it to create something ultimately modern, contemporary and unique.

AGL Mystery Collection

Nothing says femininity more than a high heel. The unwelded power that some extra height can give is unmatched. Confidence and sensuality go hand in hand with a little lift. As we know, fashion and comfort don’t always coexist, though they have begun to shake hands with the outbreak and rise of athleisure, streetwear and non-gendered clothing. The person who wears heels today is different than those of the past, they do it with agency, not because society says they can or cannot. Now the high heel has become a tool for liberation and like all fashion and footwear, an expression of personality. The new MYSTERY series by Italian brand AGL employs sensual details and high quality craftsmanship to create lace-up ankle boots and décolleté characterized by a play of transparencies using micro mesh, combined with a patent leather finish that offers a touch of glamor. Reminiscent of victorian-style boots the series is available in two color options of nude and black diversifying the range for the most casual outfit to one for grand soirées.

Prada Linea Rossa SS20

Back in 1997 Miuccia Prada struck gold in 1995 where, alongside Neil Barrett they debuted Prads’s first menswear collection solidifying the minimalist yet high-tech aesthetic that became the backbone of Prada Linea Rossa when it launched two years later in 1997. The sports-infused aesthetic was so influential that it had become an emblem that diversified the image of the brand itself. After relaunching the familiar red rubber strip in 2018, Prada now presents a new digital campaign coinciding with the reintroduction of Linea Rossa. Taking inspiration from morse code, the Italian maison translates the hyper technical code into an entirely new alphabet for the everyday. The collection itself draws inspiration from uniforms, yet avoids uniformity and presents timeless designs that are genderless, created with innovative fabrics. The classic sahariana jacket is reimagined with new finishes and modern proportions The sporty line takes inspiration from sports such as skiing and dashes of urban streetwear as well as the abstract notion of exploration. Ingrained into the language of fashion, the word athleisure is long-favoured for its gender-neutral and easy-going approach to dressing which is becoming increasingly relevant in today’s society.

Max Mara Art Prize for Women

British artist Emma Talbot explores themes of human existence, environment and gender using flowing lines, decorative patterns and light materials that encapsulate the viewer into a dreamlike world of her creation. Often hand-drawn or painted onto silk her ideas come to realisation with a mixture of drawing, painting and sculpture. In her proposal to reimagine the work of Gustav Klimt for the 21st century, Talbot's work questions deeply rooted positions of power, governance, attitudes to nature as well as representations of women, through a slightly personal lens. The proposal takes its starting point from Gustav Klimt’s Three Ages of Woman (1905), a painting which features a naked elderly woman standing in apparent shame. Talbot’s reimagination involves animating the older woman as someone who overcomes a series of trials similar to The Twelve Labors of Hercules. Through her modern-day trials the artist plans to counter prevalent negative attitudes to ageing. Having been awarded the Max Mara Art Prize for Women, Talbot will hopefully spend six months in Italy on a residency planned for later this year to research and create a new body of work to be exhibited in 2021. Awarded in alternate years since 2005, the Max Mara Art Prize it is the only visual art prize of its kind in the United Kingdom. Chaired by a panel of art-world experts including gallerist Florence Ingleby, artist Chantal Joffe, collector Fatima Maleki and art critic Hettie Judah the ingenious initiative was created to support UK-based female artists who have not previously had a major solo exhibition.

The New Chanel 19 Handbag

A new era for Chanel has begun and as strange and unfamiliar as it seems, the fashion house is finally finding its footing in the post-Lagerfeld era. In homage to the 2.55 bag designed by Coco Chanel herself in 1955, Chanel’s Artistic Director Virginie Viard has brought us the 19 bag, a wonderful nod to the brand’s memorable past. The campaign, imagined by Sofia Coppola in collaboration with Virginie Viard features a trio of muses with actors Margaret Qualley, Taylor Russel and Marine Vacth each as distinct as the last. The playful campaign leans on the women’s individual personalities representing the diverse nature of the bag. “I wanted to show how Chanel is so classic it can work with many personalities, and is great to show on different women,” says Coppola. Embodying the spirit of the brand the 19 bag is swathed in large diamond quilting and embellished with an oversized CC clasp. Available in a number of variations the accessory allows each individual to express themselves in their own way, with the Chanel mark exuding a sensual and timeless sense of beauty.

FÉST Opens Flagship Store

Nowadays people look to invest in pieces that they will love today, tomorrow and for years to come. Buying a piece of furniture say, a sofa for example, is a decision that should not be taken lightly, and often the shopping experience proves to be more stressful than pleasurable. Whether it’s for a home, co-working area or commercial space, the purpose and function of the piece is just as important as the aesthetic. Dutch brand FEST have been rapidly expanding since its foundation in 2013 and have recently opened a flagship store in Amsterdam West. Built on the idea that well designed furniture can be affordable, the brand has been making waves worldwide with their collection sold in over 20 countries. Furthering the brand success, the Financial Times named it as one of Europe’s fastest growing businesses last year. On the back of this success the new store in Amsterdam West aims to revolutionise the interior shopping experience with their new ‘mini cinema’. Designed by SPACE Projects, customers have the option to book the cinema in advance and experience the furniture as they would at home. Pepin Smit SPACE projects spoke about designing the space with a focus on choices and interconnectedness, "This I try to translate into an interior where everything is interconnected - like the words in a poem. For me, the store kind spatial poem: ``Poetry of Space".

Milan Fashion Week Women's - Recap

MONCLER

Not one for staying in one lane Moncler presented its third edition of the spectacle that is Moncler Genius in Milan last week. Inside a warehouse it displayed 12 installations each with their own vision with the newest addition being JW Anderson who presented an “inflatable archive” of his signature looks reimagined in down material. Going even further past the boundaries of fashion the event also showcased two surprising new members of collective, luggage brand RIMOWA and electric vehicle brand MATE.BIKE furthermore pushing Moncler to new heights for creative innovation.

Full of glamour, fantasy and palpable sense of excitement a night at the theatre is always one to remember. Furla launched their Fall/Winter 2020 it-bag with this theme in mind as they invited guests to Milan’s Teatro Gerolamo where they were met with mirrors, neon lights, holograms and a kaleidoscope of colors. Guests strolled through the rooms discovering the rest of the color variations and materials for the bag. The psychedelic setup was in celebration of the Italian brands foundation and presented the Furla 1927.

Italy has been the epicentre of design excellence and manufacturing since the industrial revolution known for their unrivalled innovation and attention to detail. Today that innovative mindset is pushed further as sustainability becomes the main topic of conversation. Presented in Milan, Herno introduced their six projects for their AW 2020 ‘Green focus’ collection under the name Herno Globe. From biodegradable bombers to recycled parkas, the ethical label has redefined functionality in clothing. Not only does it have to look good but it also must in a way do some good.

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Berluti Men's Fall/Winter

Arriving at the majestic location of Opera Garnier we were welcomed by magnificent flowers, adorning the staircase, the rich, inebriating perfume merged the atmosphere into a symphony of colors true to Kris Van Assche’s Berluti. Blue, crimson red, purple, fuchsia, but also Prince of Wales checks rendered in green or yellow. Tailored silhouettes together with relaxed suits paired with sneakers. Kris Van Assche’s Berluti plays between past and future, classic and modern. An extreme savoir-faire especially shown in the full patina leather suits becoming the iconic element of the maison. Recent Berluti’s beautiful collaboration with Parisian based art gallery Laffanour, resulting in 17 vintage chair designed by Pierre Jeanneret - the legendary cousin of star architect Le Corbusier - added with the Berluti patina in jewel-tones, echoed in some of the looks for Fall/Winter 2020/21. Van Assche ability to plays with classic codes through a rebel soul.

Spirit of Departure

With the current state of affairs, one might get a bleak idea of the new decade ahead. Not for notorious Canadian outerwear brand Moose Knuckles. Borrowing from science and science-fiction, he translates his personal and optimistic vision of the future. Classic staples collide with futuristic influences resulting in new yet familiar silhouettes reflecting the past as well as the future.This nod to the future can not only be found on the surface, but is literally ingrained in the collection’s fabric. Cloud is a groundbreaking innovation reducing the overall weight of the Core parkas. This novelty material gets its chance to shine in one of the collection’s newest additions, the Cloud Trinity jacket, a ultra-lightweight parka, delivering intense warmth in a weightless package. As part part of the FW20 collection, the Canadian brand also unveils its Eco Soft-Shell Collection, an eco-conscious line fabricated from recycled and reused materials, showcasing Moose Knuckles continuous efforts to combat fashion’s adverse effects of over-consumption and pollution.

Paris Fashion Week 2020 - Valentino Men’s Fall/Winter

Pierpaolo Piccioli never chase to delight with his Italian nonchalant savoir-faire on the classic dress codes for Menswear. Tailored and at the same time relaxed silhouettes for coats, blazers, technical outwear. These are classic staples you will want to find back in your wardrobe each time. Sartorial pieces that are a mirror of Piccioli flawless personal style. Romantic and definitely timeless. For this season Piccioli collaborated with photographers duo Inez and Vinoodh on flowers images patched throughout the whole collection. Delicate flowers that at a closer look disclose a powerful gesture: the carnation, the peony, the lily, the anemone, all symbols of strength, love, fragility. French artist Melanie Matranga work through words also castellated the collection: “NEED”, “BAD LOVER”. The mesmerizing voice of FKA Twigs dressed in a breathtaking white couture dress from the Beijing collection set the stage for the show by singing three pieces from her latest album. Sensitivity, delicacy in a spontaneous spirit.

Sportmax Book Launch

The unwavering energy of SPORTMAX celebrated in a eponymous volume marking its 50 years anniversary and Italian savoir faire. Born from Achille Maramotti’s intuition in 1969 fascinated by the fresh dynamism found in the new age investing Europe at the end of the Sixties, and particularly in London with its youth-driven cultural revolution. Published by Assouline as part of its Legends collection and edited by historian and curator Olivier Saillard, the volume documents the history of the Italian brand from the Seventies till today with dedicated chapters for each decade. Peter Lindbergh, Sarah Moon, Albert Watson, David Sims to name a few of the many iconic international photographers who have interpreted SPORTMAX’s style. The book also includes previously unpublished material including backstage photos, drawings and a series of images lensed by Grègoire Alexandre. Capturing the brand’s DNA, from its iconic knitwear to the total look graphic colors, two SPORTMAX very own themes since its origin till today. And the uncompromising continuous research on excellence.

American Dream

Michael Kors belongs to one of the most visible brands originating in the United States, and has developed into a household name all around the globe. As the expressed by Michael Kors himself, ‘my spring collection is a celebration of the best American style, a mix of ease and glamour that is inherently American.’ Photographed by the Dutch duo Inez van Lamsveerde and Vinoodh Matadin, the new campaign showcases the Kors’s take on timeless American style with all its layers of sophistication and romance shot in Beverly Hills, a location itself synonymous with luxury and the successful American Dream. Crisp tailoring is juxtaposed with soft and romantic dresses whilst small indicators, like stripes and stars provide a visual reminder of the brand’s American origins. The global ad campaign will launch in January and the images will appear not only in traditional print but also in numerous digital outlets.

Revealing the Hidden

Due to the quick progression of technology, there is a tangible disconnect between ourselves the items that surround us on a daily basis. Despite everybody being able to use the newest technology in our daily lives, only a very few actually grasp how they work. This creates a certain lack of trust, a feeling of discomfort. At the Swiss manufacturer, they are driven by their belief that people are once again longing for the time when they could understand how things work and they decided to look deeper into the essence of this idea. Their mechanical watches radiate a sense of honesty, which we can relate with in the most natural sense, as we can create a tangible connection to their inner workings. Inspired by the natural sincerity of the Waldenburg Valley, which has surrounded the village of Holstein, where Ortis has been bases since its foundation in 1904, the traditional Swiss house introduces the Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115. Without unnecessary decoration, no superfluous complication or flashy colors, this masterpiece is laying bare its inner workings. Nothing remains hidden, visually reconnecting the wearer to the aesthetic inner worlds otherwise hidden behind the dial. The watch itself follows a modern approach to luxury, no longer showy or indulgent, the focus is simply on the appreciation for excellent craftsmanship and quality. The Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 is presented to the public on November 18th at the Oris Watch Night hosted by the Swiss manufacturer in Munich.

Woolrich x Aimé Leon Dore

Two brands born and made in America, one with a rich history rising to the challenge of dressing the U.S. naval officers in hardy garments, and the other serving a young and modern public. Aimé Leon Dore, founded just a handful of years ago, has had very fruitful collaborations in the past, they are gifted at seeking out contemporary classics and putting their own twist on them. Woolrich, a very well trusted brand in weather-proof materials, strong heritage and consistently proving it has a grasp on street-casual style. Far from the realm of novelty accessories or couture fashion, both brands have an overriding respect for creating timeless articles of clothing.

Their FW19 campaign takes place in a cozy New York diner, two friends munching away at their breakfast; neither of them willing to remove their coats and flannels. There is an element of comfort that people can sense, the sort of wear that never gets old each time you put it on. Woolrich has opened its archive for Aimé Leon Dore and reaped the rewards of a fresh perspective; the same vestige of quality down puffers and coats are resurrected for the street. Whether by fate or by entering one another’s periphery until they became impossible to ignore, the teachers have learned from disciples of a new generation and given city dwellers a collection too comfortable and unabashedly urban to be denied.

Cartier: Crystallization of Time

Stare long enough at any rock, gemstone or mineral and you will see the beauty in natural formations once hidden beneath the Earth’s 4.6 billion year old crust. Since 1989 Cartier has held no less than thirty four exhibitions in world-renowned art museums but only now will they host an exhibition focused on contemporary pieces spanning from the 1970’s onwards. The purpose of the exhibition is to explore the perennial beauty of Cartier creations, a classic beauty retained and untarnished by the ravages of time. Aptly titled, ‘Crystallization of Time’ the legendary Jeweller will hold the exhibition at The National Art Center of Tokyo to explore the relationship between their creations over time. Up to 300 works, including contributions from private collections, act as mirrors that offer an astute insight into the eras and evolutions of Cartier. Beyond this exhibition of their past ‘Crystallization of Time’ will foreshadow Cartier’s vision for the future. The exhibition will be presented in three unique perspectives including, ‘Material Transformation and Colors’, ‘Forms and Designs’ and ‘Universal Curiosity’ along the axis of time. ‘Forms and Designs’ will explore the micro-architectural nature of their design ethos as well as their use of essential lines and spheres to create unique and iconic jewellery.

In large part refusing to conform or settle is what adds to their timeless qualities, the essence that there is nothing quite like Cartier on the market. As the second act on their timeline, ‘Forms and Designs’ will feature ‘Harmony of Chaos: Accident of Design / Accident of Nature’ which seeks to explore how life’s happenstance adds to our understanding of beauty. In 1967, when Cartier London released the Crash watch, they implored this design quality, the end product being a watch whose case had the appearance of being run over by a car. As gemstones are naturally formed there is an element of random natural occurrence that takes place as the rocks form, from this Cartier explored how to capture the unpredictable while still producing a fashionable product. The exhibition will also play host to a number of rare pieces from private collections, some pieces dating back as far as 1907. The scope of this exhibition can not be understated, from Nils Herrman’s Cartier collection Egyptian motifs resurface; a greater dialogue with our past is opened up through timeless designs, a Scarab brooch brandishing rubies, emeralds, platinum and antique blue faience alongside a Scarab necklace in yellow gold date back to 1925.

Cartier’s ‘Crystallization of Time’ is exactly what it claims to be, reinforced and hardened into something beyond reproach; displaying the opulence and dedication to lasting quality that Cartier is unabashedly known for. The exhibition will run from October 2nd – December 16 at The National Art Center, Tokyo.

Miu Miu SS20

The freedom of dressing, of moving in your own personality, “Something raw, simple, naive, not a big deal: I am suggesting a way of dressing to people where they are free to do their own thing” Miuccia Prada told to the group of journalist who gathered around her to warmly congratulate after the show. The collection was intelligent and naturally appealing, simple and playful, as only Miuccia Prada is capable of. When a fellow journalist asked why of the relevant difference with Prada Spring Summer 2020 collection, the nonchalant Mrs Prada underlined how when designing Miu Miu there is “more spirit, more lightness and lot of enthusiasm”. And there it was, the lightness: canvasses created from artist’s toile freely painted or adorned with knotted gestures.

In contrast silk duchesse pleated pinafores paired with mohair boiled-wool-like cropped cardigans worn underneath. With the generously long crimped hair it reminisced of Romy Schneider’s look portraying Empress Elisabeth in Sissi trilogy and later in the ambitious and beautiful Luchino Visconti’s “Ludwig”. The structured and austere elements coupled with the light-hearted and youthful: ruffled fabric just directly collaged on the garments. Flowers and oversized buttons as if in a DIY gesture, to underline that simplicity and spontaneous attitude Mrs Prada mentioned backstage: “reflected in the wood, the set, like theatres where people used to improvise.”

AMO’s set design played with the austerity of the magnificent Auguste Perret’s reinforced concrete Palais d’Iena and its monumental Salle Hypostyle. AMO’s space-inside-the-space in OCB wood resulted in a strong juxtaposition with Perret’s original design: its mono-materiality and bas relief created almost a fictional space as out of a computer drawing, a pure simplicity, a “un-palace”.

Valentino SS20

Crisp white cotton declined in evening gowns, shirt dress to be worn with shorts and lace bomber jackets. Pierpaolo Piccioli worked on the beauty of this color, undisputed symbol of Summer and that light hearted elegance the maison Valentino has been representing since the last years.

Piccioli knows how to conquer the crowd with his romanticism in a strong modern key: a tulle purple majestic gown, a sequined one, so light at touch you could hardly believe it is sequins, and the acid green, permeating the entire collection and bringing that fun and joy we have been savouring season after season at this iconic Italian maison. At a closer look , during our re-see; we saw all that Valentino atelier savoir faire in terms of craftsmanship.

Pierpaolo Piccioli has been working always on the evolution of the gown, on its lightness, on the absence of body constrictions. He has been always putting women at the centre: the women who wear his creations, the seamstress, the women who have been part of the Valentino family for so long. And the models who walk the show: Adut, Awuol, Tiziana, Tomiwa, Evie, Mathilde, all eighty carefully mentioned one by one.

As we enjoy looking at the details of each look at Valentino’s headquarters in Paris, Piccioli appears in front of us on his way to the office. We could not but warmly congratulate him in person. Grazie Pierpaolo for delivering once again a beautiful vision on womanhood.

This season Slimane explored the powerful allure of the early 70s. These girls love to wear floating silk dresses with an attitude. Printed with floral or with geometric motives, pleated at the skirt and at times richly embroidered, worn with suede high-knee boots and cropped sleeveless shearling jacket – almost as gilet. The color hues stayed naturals exploring earthy tomes: cream, hazel, taupe, grey, caramel.

The accessories as always played a big role: new variations of the Triomphe and Triomphe chain bags. The latter beautifully declined in wicker, python and in suede with fringes. The original soundtrack “Calling it” by Automatic permeated in the space at Place Vauban creating a positive energy . The band’s guitar-less experimentations and minimal sound provided a perfect setting for the collection, where model literally stormed in.

Arriving backstage to congratulate Hedi Slimane, we felt a air of ease and joy. This iconic French maison is treating the designer with outmost respect and we cannot wait to see the future of this collaboration.

BOSS SS20: 'BOSS Individuals'

Presenting their men’s and women’s collections for SS20, BOSS has held individualism in high regard. The sophistication and sleek presentation so synonymous with BOSS is renewed for the arriving decade. Dressing is an intensely personal ritual and relies heavily on the individual traits of the wearer. Realizing this, they travelled from their atelier in New York to the restless fashion mecca of Milan, where it held a runway show for its highly personable collection. Guests in attendance included G-Eazy, Chloe Bennet and Jason Lewis. The focus was on accented style and understated comforts, this collection remains true to the essential nature of BOSS while evoking an openness to Spring frivolities and calm Summer nights.

‘BOSS Individual’ suits are tailored into more relaxed shapes while their sportswear is precisely tailored and dressed up. The women’s SS20 line is filled with jackets nipped at the waist and wide-leg pants prioritizing comfort without sacrificing the signature BOSS styling. With fluid silk wrap skirts or maxi dresses there is a living sense of freedom as this collection breezes down the runway. With a flash-flood of seasonal colors interplayed with detailed craftsmanship and neatly tailored suits formal wear is elevated for the next decade and beyond. Whether it is the lightweight technical cloth on pants made for sport or the silk and cotton yarn open-knit sweaters, the SS20 collection delivers enough variety to truly encourage individualism on even the hottest days of Summer.

Saint Laurent SS20

A sudden storm moving forcefully, all of us under the glass roof over the seating, the light projected forming a sea of beams that played together with the Tour Ei¬¬ffel light spectacle. Saint Laurent always reserves a set design worth the rain and cold of an outdoor late summer show in Paris. As the model stormed in we saw the natural confidence of Vaccarello. Vertiginous shorts worn with blazers, at times declined in velvet or in black sequins rigorously matched with high knees boots or strappy sandals.

The looks converged increasingly towards an evening atmosphere - Vaccarelllo’s signature - in all its alluring connotations: second skin trousers paired with off-the-shoulder tops, long dresses lusciously embroidered, gold lamè, black, green or burgundy chiffon with gold motifs. Additionally the show displayed sharp tailoring, or as Anthony Vaccarello likes to call it “couture tailoring”, as he skilfully showed us season after season. The last suit, in black sequins, was worn graciously and fiercely by Naomi. Which icon could better embody this atmosphere? Thank you Anthony for always being true to your vision.

Montblanc de la Culture Patronage Award 2019

The Montblanc Cultural Foundation has been honoring patrons of art around the world since 1992. The Montblanc de la Culture Patronage Award is given to patrons of the art world that contribute greatly to an enlightened public. This year in Germany the award was bestowed to Dr. Michael Haerdter, founder of Künstlerhaus Bethanien and director until the turn of the century. His award was graciously accepted on his behalf by Christoph Tannert, one half of the Künstlerhaus Bethanien’s managing directors. Tannert cheerfully remarked “the fact that we have won the Montblanc de la Culture Patronage Award 2019 is a great honor for us and a very special tribute to our work.”

Dr. Haerdter has underlined the importance of artists communicating through a higher medium than just verbal discussion, he has forged a generous amount of space in which rising artists can express their unique world view.“We are really delighted to celebrate this year’s Montblanc de la Culture Patronage Awards at Ku?nstlerhaus Bethanien, such as extraordinary and international center of art,” says Elvir Johic, managing director of Montblanc Germany and Northern Europe.

After introductions and speeches from Elvir Johic, Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath the win was celebrated greatly in Berlin where Montblanc hosted a party for people to celebrate and dance long into the night in recognition of Dr. Haerdter’s pivotal cultural contribution. Montblanc’s theme for the party echoed the Bethanien’s current exhibition, "Milchstraßenverkehrsordnung", “Space is the Place”. More than 150 members of the German arts and culture scene were in attendance for the ceremony and festivities. Thanks to the Montblanc Cultural Foundation this particular exhibition was supported with accompanying prize money of €15,000.

Kreuzberg’s Künstlerhaus Bethanien hosts a diverse group of artists through its ‘Artist-in-Residence’ program with 25 studios in which artists can refine their craft and truly flourish. The facilities also include an enormous basement for exhibition facilities. The contemporary visual arts venue and workspaces pioneered by Dr. Haerdter are an exceptional home for art.

NYFW: COACH SS20

Creative director of Coach, Stuart Ververs, presented his Spring 2020 men’s and women’s collections on the Spur and Coach Passage, the newest additions to New York’s High Line. A bright range of garments embellished with the pop art illustrations of Richard Bernstein brought to life notions of joy against all odds. A star studded audience including Kyrie Irving, Marina Testino, Miles Heizer, Megan Thee Stallion and Princess Nokia gazed at the joyful Spring 2020 collection.

Sandals and flats walked the runway in a laid back style rarely seen during such a high-class event. Multidisciplinary talent and the current face of Coach, Michael B. Jordan made a gesture to the next generation. He brought with him interns of his own initiative, ‘the Outlier Society Fellowship’ in order to reassert the boundless possibilities that young people from all walks of life can harness through Coach’s ‘Dream It Real’ initiative. Along with the eager young interns, Jordan also invited the fashion club from his hometown school in Jersey, Essex County Newark Tech High school.

Robert Hammond, co-founder of ‘Friends of the High Line’ as well as High Line’s inaugural artist, Simone Leigh came to see a myriad of colorful leathers, knits, flowing coats and dresses. Leigh received the first commission for High Line, she named it ‘Brick House’ and dedicated it to strong black female figureheads and indeed black beauty everywhere. Prominent models walking for Coach included brand ambassador, Kiko Mizuhara as well as Kaja Gerber, Julia Nobis, Adut Akech and Abby Champion. Coach’s Spring 2020 line embodies new beginnings, free spirited models walked the The High Line to evoke a raw authentic energy and the infinite possibilities ushered in by a new decade.

Louis Vuitton: The Art of Travel

One of the foundational aspects of the house of Louis Vuitton, to travel freely and frequently where your heart truly takes you. It is this empassioned spirit that propels their latest collection, ‘The Art of Travel’. To dream is to escape the seemingly closed window that is reality, to escape is to truly live. Dreams and travel are intrinsically linked, as if there is more life to be lived in another place, in another way. There is no greater key to freedom than an immediate departure, gripping the present moment and doing away with instinctual hesitation.

Kit Butler, Rianne Van Rompaey and Fei Fei Sun are depicted in the farthest reaches of Vietnam’s moss green plains. Under the artistic direction of David James, photographer Angelo Pennetta captures the inimitable art of travel and the savy of those that flirt with the notion of where they feel most alive. The Petite Malle, the On The Go shopper as well as a large Steamer bag, of the finest materials display how distinctive yet subtle Louis Vuitton’s iconic motif really is. To never appear out of place is a valuable thing. Some prefer to move in a way that screams when most others whisper, this collection ebbs and flows as jauntily as the traveller. The gut feeling when a plane lifts off the runway and into clear skies, after this nothing but the destination matters. Well, that and your luggage of course.

Osservatorio Fondazione Prada: “Training Humans”

Fondazione Prada will host the first major photography exhibition dedicated to bettering our understanding of the images gathered and used to train A.I. technologies. Artificial Intelligence is talked about frequently and superstitions surrounding new tech are mounting. Two highly contemplative and knowledgeable scholars will host “Training Humans”, held at Galleria Vittorio II in Milan. Kate Crawford, distinguished New York University professor and widely published A.I. researcher, along with artist, futurist, and researcher Trevor Paglen who has been exhibited from the Smithsonian to the Guggenheim. Their exhibition is an interrogation of the training practices used to categorically define the human race through the eyes of artificial intelligence.

When the CIA first conducted facial recognition experiments, in 1963, they compiled a total of 14,126 images with which to set a benchmark for machine learning. “Training Humans” explores two issues fundamental to humanity and its freedoms. The photography on display will expose to human eyes how humans are represented, interpreted and how technological systems harvest, label and use this material. The intention of “Training Humans” is not to imagine some not-too-distant dystopia; it is to specify to a concerned public exactly which images are chosen to teach A.I. Because of the Internet and the integration of social media into our every day the AI researchers moved from using government-owned collections, such as FBI mug shots of dead criminals, to sourcing photos from anywhere they chose to.

In our infinite complexities, authorities seem desperate to teach machines how to understand us in simple terms. The moral quandary of this is how far they will go to put humanity in a box, to remove the unpredictable, the wild, the life we share that machines cannot yet understand.

“Training Humans” is open to the public from September 12th to the 24th of February 2020

Miron Zownir: 'City Landscapes'

In his upcoming solo exhibition ‘City landscapes’ Miron Zwonir, celebrated international documentary photographer, will put his usual focus into the background. Social outcasts, by choice or through disadvantage, are now only incidental subjects in the frying pan of a harsh metropolis bursting at the seams. The dark prince of noir photography will bring a cross section of over forty years of photography to Galerie Bene Taschen. The German-Ukrainian photographer lives in a world of contrast where repression and destruction guide the eye in a re-education of cities as a background for all change that people encounter within themselves. The strange creatures and tall shadows cast by streetlamps are products of their city, but ultimately never defined by them. Resilient and fervid throughout Zownir’s body of work are the fringe cultures set adrift in maddening urbanity.

Cities like Los Angeles, New York, Berlin or ones in Eastern Europe all beg similar questions. How does one exist in any of these environments and retain a strong sense of self? Zownir’s metropolises are on a merry-go-round of destruction, creation and somewhere in the chaos, transformation. Miron Zownir has been displayed in group and solo exhibitions at Bene Taschen before but never as cohesively as this. The gallery will display his most impactful photography including excerpts from his book ‘RIP NYC’ and scenes from his series ’Berlin Noir’. The very definition of normality and what it means to be you will be in question, leaving visitors with contrasting feelings on society at large as they depart. You can see more of this radical international photographer’s work in Cologne from September 7th until October 12th at Galerie Bene Taschen with an early reception on the 6th.

Rinus van de Velde Special Edition Stamp

It might have been a while since you last put a stamp on an actual letter before posting it. It is true that traditional mail has found itself largely replaced by e-mails and other means of electronic communication, making letters and stamps artifacts of the past.

Despite having lost most of their daily use, stamps remain a desired collector’s item, a prized artifact defined by its beauty and historical significance. Their illustrations are gateways to a different time, a snapshot of the period’s social and political realities, depicting an important event, institution or person that have become recognizable symbols of the issuing nation’s traditional heritage.

The Belgian Post pays homage to Rinus van de Velde, dedicating a special stamp to the Belgian artist. The stamp depicting a charcoal self-portrait is a recognition of his invaluable input to the Belgian art scene and his contributions to elevating it onto the global stage. It might seem insignificant at first, but these stamps will be a lasting witness of the national importance of van de Velde’s artistic endeavors, cherished by a nation and a global audience alike.

William Blake Reborn in New Tate Britain Exhibition

The largest exhibition of the artist William Blake, known foremost for his writing and then for his prophetic, dazzling and even terrifying works of art that were sorely overlooked during his lifetime, will now consume Tate Britain. The life of William Blake is one of fraught political angst, he offered the antithesis to the harsh rule of the church of England, paving a way forward for philosophers, artists, anyone that sought to explain in their own terms what it meant to be alive outside of religious definition. His vision was larger than his time allowed.

This artist, poet and author, will claim his day in the sun in a manner never before seen in Great Britain. Some of his best-known paintings including ‘Newton’ (1795 - c. 1805) and ‘The Ancient of Days’ (1827) which later became a frontispiece for an edition of ‘Europe: A Prophecy”, the artists final painting. The quaint domestic room above his family’s hosiery shop, in which his art saw its only real exhibition in the year 1809, will be reconstructed in great detail to offer guests an authentic sense of how his art was displayed in his time. The exhibition hopes to provide a biographical framework with which to better understand Blake, even highlighting the vital influence of his wife Catherine, who offered practical assistance and even coloration for his illuminated books.

With over 300 original works including prints, watercolours and paintings, this is the largest showing of Blake’s work in the last two decades. Two of his works ‘The Spiritual Form of Nelson Guiding Leviathan’ (c. 1805-9) and ‘The Spiritual Form of Pitt Guiding Behemoth c. 1805) will be projected onto an enormous wall in the grand sense that Blake had imagined. Tate intends to reintroduce Blake to the public using modern techniques. From the 11th of September until February next year this wide range of the artist’s work will live at Tate Britain.

Bang & Olufsen x Saint Laurent

Where design meets functionality, Bang & Olufsen have never lacked or compromised. The audio giant, holding their design instincts close to their chest has landed a dream collaborator in Saint Laurent. The all black collection has subtle, luxurious twists that serve to remind Bang & Olufsen’s customers that they have sought out and found the most optimal quality.

The 3rd generation Beoplay A9 home speaker has room-filling sound and was originally designed to compliment tidy furnishings and simplistic décor. Without rocking the boat, Saint Laurent respects the under stated nature of the A9 home speaker while reminding the customer that they have invested in the very best. The legs that the larger home speaker, A9, stands on are transformed from wooden to aluminium with a finish in gold or in jet black anodized mirror.

Bang & Olufsen’s A1 Bluetooth speaker was designed to project sound on all sides for upmost ambiance. 360 degrees of sound emanate from its aluminium grill, the high gloss Saint Laurent logo printed in black. The A1 model says two things about the wearer; they have respect for timeless design and they have a love for music that demands the best sound quality wherever they go.

The only downside is how limited supplies are. The collection is only available at two physical locations. The speakers have been entrusted to Saint Laurent’s Paris store at Rive Droite and in Los Angeles, California at their Rodeo Drive store. This is an overdue example of Bang & Olufsen knowing and owning their true value with respect to both design and quality. While stocks last these rare speakers can also be ordered online.

Prada Play Matchmaker

Whether you fell in love with Prada’s banana bowling shirt or their action packed short sleeve button up’s make your head one thing remains true, we will be seeing a lot more Prada pairings. Their ‘Double Match’ personalization service opens in Germany next month offering customers the freedom to mix and match a variety of iconic Prada prints.

Playful and Prada is by no means synonymous, however, when you button up a shirt that has two very different styles on either side and it’s Prada, it is a completely undeniable statement of fun and fashion. Worn well by Jeff Goldblum and Pusha T, Prada asks their customers, what is life without a heavy splash of color? Is the sky not blue? Is the grass not green? For those among us who stick to wearing black, Prada encourages even more personality and customization. Don’t just buy off the rack, mix and match your Prada.

The Double Match personalization service will be available soon in select German stores. www.prada.com

Fashion

To See The World Anew

From the early 80’s right up to the present day, Cartier has reaffirmed its place in the world of eyewear time and time again. This began with the breakout success of Lunettes CARTIER in 1983, one of fashion’s “must have’s” of the day, it symbolised the first true pair of luxury sunglasses. By 1989 they were producing bespoke reading glasses, a new version of Lunettes CARTIER for women, as well as a supplementary release of Lunettes Panthère to add to their highly popular range of Panthère products. The Lunettes lenses, awash with pale blue tints had an elegance rarely seen before in the larger world of eyewear.

Now, in their latest collection, Cartier approaches familiar motifs with new flare and a variety of Fall colors. Panthère de Cartier, a symbol of the fearless, elegant and everlasting returns with vigour to join the House’s Fall/Winter eyewear collection. The panther head is front-facing and embedded into the corner of each lens, it will simply not go unnoticed. Panthère’s masculine counterpart, Santos de Cartier has a purposeful and renewed look. Thick, dark shades screwed into a strong titanium frame, every bit as uncompromising and assertive as Santos de Cartier is known for being.

Doodling FENDI ROMA

The city has become a canvas with every wall offering a world of possibilities to leave a lasting mark. The times that art was meant for the canvas are long over and due to famous artists like Banksy, people start to recognize that street art is not to be dismissed.

F is for FENDI, but in this case, as Mr. Doodle says, F is for Fun. The 25-year old artist from London teams up with the luxury Italian house for ‘Doodling FENDI ROMA’, to inject the remarkable FENDI DNA with his iconic street art in a flawless act of creativity. With his signature doodles, his unique style of drawing, Sam Cox aka Mr. Doodle does not only cover the FENDI rooftop as initially planned, but the whole Palazzo Della Civilità Italiana. This collaboration reaffirms the Italian house’s bond to contemporary culture and graffiti art, as the Englishman is the fourth artist or collective to team up with FENDI.

Nonetheless, Mr. Doodle is the first artist to have the opportunity to take his pen to FENDI’s Peekaboo bag. Acting as his white canvas, the bag is covered in his signature doodles to create a fresh new look for a legendary bag.

Mike Meiré: North-West

Mike Meiré found the inspiration for his newest solo exhibition NORTH-WEST in today’s North America. Always perceived as a place of freedom and endless opportunity, the continent today has become a place of contradictions caught between reality and idealism, departure and exclusion, progress and fatality. With his work, the German artist, designer and art director addresses the romanticised ideas surrounding the American Dream whilst at the same time confirming their very failure, making NORTH-WEST a metaphorical search for updated notions of freedom and identity.

Alongside ceramics, the show will present paintings from Meiré’s ongoing series CAR TIRE PAINTINGS. Central to this series is its performative component, the tyre hoovers over the canvas before it is slammed down by the artist and the few seconds between control and loss of control which define the unique outcome of each work. The conscious choice of the standardized tyre signals towards the achievements of modern life and the purposeful and functional design of the globalised consumer world.

NORTH-WEST will be open to the public by appointment only from July 28, 2019 until September 6, 2019 at Von Bartha in S-chanf.

Stone Island x Nike Golf

Professional sports have become much more than the mere pursuit of athletic excellence. Athletic competitions have become grand spectacles, with the athletes being celebrated like celebrities by millions of people all over the globe. Constantly in the public eye, it is no longer just about winning, but winning in style with an increasing number of athletes, like Serena Williams and LeBron James, being equipped in personalized special collaborations or even bespoke athletic attire.

Italian brand Stone Island makes its first steps into the realm of athletic wear and teams up with Nike Golf. With the Nike x Stone Island golf collaboration, both brands combine Nike’s fundamental expertise in understanding the golfers’ needs and Stone Island’s expertise in fabric innovation to unveil true technical and performing pieces, able withstand even the most difficult weather conditions on the course. Adaptive fibres increase the garments’ breathability to maintain the athlete’s optimal temperature throughout play, whereas the water-resistant membrane provides adequate protection from the rain.

The two garments, a jacket and a crewneck available in multiple colorways, will debut during golf’s fourth and final major at Royal Portrush.

The Nike x Stone Island Golf collection will become available on July 25th.

Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019

Black is a complex color that resonates with us. Even Christian Dior once wrote, ‘I could write a book about black’. For the Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019-2020, Maria Grazia Chiuri presents a collection exclusively in black, only rarely punctured by color. Black demands perfection and it is this conscious choice that lets her true inspiration shine through. By erasing the color as a consideration, construction and silhouette, texture and detail come into focus. The monochrome color palette reveals the garments’ bone structure that holds them together and defines them.

Inspired by writer Bernard Rudolfksy, Maria Grazia Chirui engages in deep thoughts about the nature of clothes. She raised questions about the relation of modernity and sartorial customs, modernizing old techniques and outdated conventions, without losing Dior’s beautiful essence established by Christian Dior. Chiuri breaks with the belief that comfort always has to come at the expense of beauty and allure and adapts the essence of couture for a modern lifestyle.

The designer made her most daring statement by presenting her version of a Dior staple, the ball gown. The breathtaking garments, in all their grandeur and opulence, were defined by their lightness and a flair of modern ease, achieved through the use of lavish yet delicate materials. The lacquered organza, dégradé gauze jacquard and lace were adorned, here, with velvet scrolls, there, with thistles and wildflowers.

This collection was Maria Grazia Chirui’s most confident and exquisite couture collection. To answer the question raised at the start: ‘Are clothes modern?’ Yes, if beauty is considered modern, then so are these garments.

Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019

Pierpaolo Piccioli’s presentation of the Valentino Couture collection was undoubtedly one of the highlights of Paris Couture Week. A fact confirmed by the power trio of Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Campbell and Celine Dion takes place front row.

Piccioli recognized, that even in couture, the seduction through an abundance of elegance and craftsmanship is no longer sufficient. Instead, modern women are looking for a deeper message and buy into brands whose position is in line with their personal beliefs. In a period of increasing political isolationism, Piccioli sends out a message of individuality and inclusivity. It is only by embracing different women’s identities and cultures that couture can stay alive and well. A message reinforced by the diverse cast of models presenting his creations of irresistible beauty on the runway. To bring this idea into full expressiveness, Lauren Hutton, Cecilia Chancellor, Georgina Grenville and Hannelore Knuts, ranging in age between the early-40s and mid-70s, joined the lineup.

The collection was defined by its exceptionally buoyant colors, often in surprising combinations. But the dazzling display of colors is hardly the only characteristic that makes the collection stand out. The beautifully constructed dresses, adorned with elaborate embroidery and ornamentation, bear witness to the totality of expertise found inside Valentino. Painstakingly rendered by hand, the long dress with floral appliqués or the sleeveless gown made of rose squares attached one-by-one required hundreds of hours to be completed.

Pierpaolo rounded off his looks with a series of highly-elaborate ornamental heads and komondor wool fringes and set an example of a collection with a conscience.

Dunhill Spring Summer 2020

Mark Weston has been bringing fresh air in Dunhill’s heritage by maintaining the roots of this historical luxury English tailoring maison. This season saw a fluid sensuality barging in.

Together with the evolution and subversion in Dunhill’s tailoring Mark Weston continued his references to Japan, in particularly Japanese design from the 80s. Relaxed, wrapped tailoring with split helms reminiscent of Kimono-like cuts.

“I wanted elegance and austerity disrupted by sensuality and provocation, with a feeling of fluidity and ease running through it all. At the same time, rigour is all important; in tailoring particularly, nothing should just be for the sake of it.”. Mark Weston explained how Japanese elements were already crossing boundaries with Casual clothing culture in ‘80s Britain and how this collection is am ode to British tailoring on a broad sense.

For Spring Summer 2020 Weston collaborated with Tokyo-based digital artist Kenta Cobayashi: “I had really been taken by Kenta’s work a couple of years ago and I was just waiting for the right time to ask him to work with me. In a sense, the whole digital field has become much more appealing – I love the idea of digital crafting.”

Weston handpicked four archive images of Cobayashi’s “Smudge” series – where he experiment with graphic distortion – to be reworked with Dunhill logo. Weston explained how the collaboration channelled classic campaign imagery from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Applied on outwear, bags and tailored pieces, Cobayashi’s glitched graphics channel the playful and sensual spirit for the new Dunhill.

John M Armleder CA.CA.

John M Armleder has never accepted the traditional boundaries of the different artistic disciplines. Regarded as one of the most influential concept, performance and object artists of the modern era, Armleder’s playful approach to artistic expression draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources, influential art movements, such as Modernism, Constructivism and Op-Art, as well as design, painting and pop culture.

Time after time, Armleder combines familiar tropes from art history with modern day items, commenting on our reality and the state of art itself. This juxtaposition of opposites runs like a red thread throughout his work, planning is faced by coincidence, profundity is shown alongside frivolity, exploring what art could and should be in an ever-changing cultural setting.

Both inside and outside the Schirn Kunsthalle, Armleder shows a number of specially created installations alongside some of his previous works. The freely accessible Rotunda is transformed into a life-sized installation by mounting twenty disco balls in different heights, capturing their reflections in the windows covered in mirror film.

John Armleder presents his seductive approach to Conceptual Art and stimulates the critical mind as well as the senses.

The exhibition will be open to the public until September 1st at the Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt.

Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring Summer 2020

Imagine a mild summer day in Paris, walking on one of its characteristic little streets populated with cafés terraces, street musicians playing a classical piece, patrons sipping a glass of wine at the shadows of big parasols and the urban greenery that adorns most of the French capital’s urban spaces. Just across the street you can find benches where to read a book or enjoy the soft breeze, a mobile creperie vendor, maybe an artist painting your portrait.

Virgil Abloh’s third collection for Louis Vuitton channelled all the artistic influences of the American designer: a playful ode to boyhood, to the notion of free-minded spirit, crossing over gender boundaries.

Since the very first looks big flowers adorned the bodies and accessories together with straw hats reminiscent of a Provencal atmosphere. In the seasonal Virgil’s “Dictionary” – a collection of key words updated each time – you will see several new entries addressing this feelings: “flower”, “kite”, “lightness”, among the others, where the concept of flower is removed from the status “often relegated to the trivial or mundane” becoming instead a “naturally occurring metaphor for diversity, as beautiful on a micro level as they are on a macro level, a living creature that blooms from a simple seed, crosses borders”.

The collection had a multidimensional and hybridised connotation: strings holding together the garment’s singular elements with a peek-a-boo effect, cut outs to create different volumes, but also caging, wrapping, gridding or netting, disrupting the conventional architecture of clothes.

Floating ponchos and raincoats in technical nylon taffeta, asymmetrical pleated skirts over wide-leg trousers, the last few looks presented sculptured attached on the shoulders and at time in forma of a kite.

Max Mara Art Prize for Women: Helen Cammock

The Max Mara Art Prize for Women was established in 2005 in collaboration with the Whitechapel Gallery. The only visual art prize for women in the UK, its mission is to nurture and promote female artists with the gift of time and space in the form of a six-month Italian residency. During this time, the chosen artist to realize a new and ambitious project, which is then presented in the Whitechapel Gallery in London and the Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia.

The seventh winner of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women is Helen Cammock with her exhibition ‘Che si può fare’, translating into ‘What can be done’. In this exhibition, Helen Cammock explores the idea of lament in women’s lives across histories and geographies. Throughout her six-month Italian residency, the artist excavates the expression of lament of unheard, buried and hidden female voices in the archives opened by historians, musicians, artists and singer across all of Italy.

Cammock’s multimedia approach embraces text, photography, video, song, performance and printmaking in order to present a new body of work, challenging mainstream historical narratives around womanhood, poverty and vulnerability.

The exhibition will be open to the public from the 25th of June until the 1st of September in the Whitechapel Gallery in London and from the 13th of October 2019 until February 2020 at the Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia.

Fifty Years Proud

Most of the world’s heritage fashion houses share a special bond to the city they are located in. Having remained within its confines for generations, their stories began to intertwine and the brands have become an intricate part of the fabric that set is apart. They become a visual embodiment of the city’s spirit, taking its aesthetic and lifestyle into the world.

Coach shares a special bond with the city of New York. For almost 80 years, they have witnessed some crucial social movements that started in the city and later changed the whole world. With Fifty Years Proud, Coach celebrates the LGBTQ+ community; its history, culture and determined pursuit of recognition and acceptance.

In honor of WorldPrideNYC and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, Coach releases a film project dedicated to the five decades of the struggle endured by the LGBTQ+ community. Through a combination of dance, archival footage of past Pride celebrations and interviews with key figures from each decade of the movement, Coach promotes inclusion and freedom of self-expression, two of New York’s trademark features. To create the film, Coach collaborated with a diverse team of internationally recognized artists, including the director Kevin Calero, choreographer Tanisha Scott, stylist Chris Campbell, makeup artists Jace Bowman and Tiffany The Artist and hairstylist Yusef Williams.

The struggle against sexual discrimination has come a long way but is far from being done. With Fifty Years Proud, Coach expresses its continued active support for the LGBTQ+ community and fortifies its multi-year commitment in support of the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

#UseTheExisting: Ermenegildo Zegna Spring/Summer 2020

Creative Director Alessandro Sartori realizes that his profession is not all about making beautiful garments. Yes, it is still a crucial part, but what is the price to pay? Fashion has found itself among the top three polluting industries in the world, trying to satisfy the insatiable desire for consumption without considering the environmental impact.

Sustainability is at the center of the Ermenegildo Zegna SS20 collection. With the project #UseTheExisting, Sartori proves that environmental protection and high fashion can go hand-in-hand. The incorporation of upcycled wools and technical fabrics form the house’s own textile division showcases that an alternative and sustainable way to produce refined materials out of discarded ones is indeed possible.

In his collection, Alessandro Sartori takes a new approach to tailoring, using traditional techniques in a new concept, such as the leather jacket that becomes a short-sleeved shirt. Overall the collection features wider silhouettes, making the fit just as pleasant as the good feeling one gets when putting on this sustainable and ecological garment.

ETRO x Star Wars Capsule Collection & Spring/Summer 2020

Italian brand ETRO does not only showcase one, but two collections at their Spring 2020 Menswear presentation. Throughout the show, the SS20 collection was complemented by ETRO’s upcoming capsule collection based on the hugely successful movie franchise Star Wars.

As long term fan of the movies, it was Kean Etro’s wish to produce this unisex collection, including a range of urban staples, such as hoodies, sweatshirts and T-shirts, all carrying a variety of Star Wars prints. The images of all the famous characters are sourced from the original movies, released in the late ‘70s and ‘80s.

Human decorative traditions are in the focus of the main SS20 collection. Kean Etro celebrates the brand’s adventurous and traveling spirit, by presenting an eclectic collection, imbued with references to artisanal craft from cultures all over the globe.

Italian sartorial tradition is revisited and freshly interpreted, resulting in a line-up, defined by light construction and relaxed, sometimes even generous silhouettes. Combined with tribal motifs and quintessential nomadic staples, such as the poncho, they create a nomadic vibe reinterpreted in a modern urban context.

The ETRO x Star Wars capsule collection will be available online and in ETRO international stores from July 1st.

Achilles Ion Gabriel joins CamperLab

From June 18th onwards, Achilles Ion Gabriel will become the new creative mind behind CamperLab. The Finnish designer will be in charge of the design team and define the brand’s creative strategy. By appointing the promising footwear designer, Camper hopes to implement his unique vision in a new era of further growth and development.

Before joining Camper, Achilles Ion Gabriel, currently based in Paris, was able to gather valuable experience industry with the likes of Marni and Courrèges, but also with his own brand ION.

Both designer and brand have found their ideal counterpart. Whereas Camper has expressed admiration for his previous work and will most definitetly benefit from the Finns’ talent, the designer gains insides of Camper’s unrivalled shoemaking heritage and an unparalleled opportunity for creative freedom and realization.

Achilles Ion Gabriel’s first collection at Camper will be presented in January as part of the Fall/Winter 2020 collection.

Cartier Magnitude

Not many brands have become as synonymous with elegance and luxury as Cartier. With its new high jewelry collection, the French manufacturer does not only celebrate its long tradition of excellent craftsmanship but also showcases a boldness for a new stylistic adventure and novelty in its designs.

Magnitude is an unexpected and bold encounter of materials that were never meant to meet. Side-by-side precious stones confront ornamental hard stones, complementing and highlighting each other in a display between opacity and transparency and pure colors and shimmering nuances.

To celebrate Magnitude, Cartier held an exclusive event in London. The iconic London building, 180 The Strand, was chosen to present the Maison’s newest collection, followed by an evening gala dinner hosted by Cyrille Vigneron, CEO & president of Cartier International. Alongside a performance by Beth Ditto, among the selected guests were notable friends of the house, as Claire Foy, Lily Collins, Bianco Brandolini as well as Ella Balinska, Iris Law and Diana Silvers.

The collection will be on show to the public at 180 The Strand London between June 27th and June 30th.

CELINE: New Paris Boutique

When Hedi Slimane took over Parisian brand CELINE, he succeeded the likes of Phoebe Philo, whose tenure at the house lasted for the whole previous decade. This change at the top of the house brought in a fresh breeze. This new direction would unquestionably trickle down to affect CELINE in its entirety. After announcing a makeover of the house’s logo in September 2018, Hedi Slimane continues to leave his mark by re-envisioning the brand’s retail space.

The new Paris CELINE store opens its doors in the First District of Paris. The creative director’s architectural vision offers the perfect mise-en-scène to present CELINE’s Men’s and Women’s collections. The new boutique’s concept is rounded out with the help of five perfectly integrated artworks by renowned, international artists Deyson Gilbert, Rochelle Goldberg, Katinka Bock, Hu Xiao and Georgia Dickie.

The new CELINE store is located at 4, rue Duphot in the First District of Paris.

Givenchy Pre-Spring 2020

With her Spring 2020 Pre-Collection, Givenchy’s Artistic Director Clare Waight Keller explores the notions of moving through the urban environment and today’s on-the-go, city-hopping lifestyle. Just like herself, constantly on the move between Paris, London and other various destinations, the modern person is always moving forward, whether along routes they have traveled countless times or across borders and time zones.

With the urban-chic collection, Clare Waight Keller takes couture to the streets, drawing inspiration from Paris and her own spring couture collection and London’s increasingly flamboyant and colorful streetwear scene. She merges traditional and technical, reviving classic pieces in saturated color and modern materials in order to achieve the practicality, formality and glamour she desires. The result is hybrid pieces that, according to the wearer’s needs, are easily dressed up or down.

In addition to this, Givenchy introduces its new line of women’s leather accessories. The four newly unveiled bags are intended to cover every facet of life for the modern woman on the go.

F IS FOR..

With a faster-changing pace of the industry, certain brands have encountered issues relating to the new, digitally-active customer base. With the emergence of the internet and social media, the traditional brand-to-customer dynamic has drastically changed, leaving some alienated from this new generation of customers.

Rome-based brand FENDI has long recognized these concerns and proactively counteracted. F IS FOR is a campaign with youth culture at its core, aiming to translate the FENDI DNA for a younger customer. Similarly, FENDI also makes use of the online vernacular in form of the hashtag for its #MeandMyPeekaboo campaign.

For the first time, exclusively unveiled at ZOO Magazine, both campaigns merge to create the first-ever special #MeandMyPeekaboo episode featuring the Lin family. In familiar fashion, FENDI puts family intimacy at the center of the video, showcasing authentic interactions between identical twins John and James with their twins Elise and Pierre, older son Jude and Julia Lin. In and around their home in Miami, the iconic FENDI logo is ever present, with the Peekaboo Fit for Men and the Peekaboo XS never leaving their side.

Dirty Socks

The creative mind works differently sometimes. It manages to find extraordinary beauty in the most mundane objects and settings and transform them into artistic expression. Nordic duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, collaborating since 1995, have time after time investigated this sculptural dimension of the most quotidian objects.

In their latest exploit, titled Dirty Socks, they prove that even our dirty socks, detached of their utility and radically recontextualized, can evolve into an artistic sculpture. Showcased on only a gilded lower body, crossing its legs, the white socks become the visual focal point.

Dirty Socks will be on show with the König Galerie at Art Basel from June 13th to June 16th.

Cartier Santos-Dumont

French manufacurer Cartier pays homage to the rich history of its iconic Santos-Dumont model. First created in 1904, Louis Cartier designed a modern wristwatch, exclusively suited to the needs of Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont.

Ever since being unveiled to the public, the design, exuding simplicity, innovation and elegance, has always remained true to the original. The square-shape, reminiscent of the geometry popular in Paris at the time, is paired with an unadorned alligator leather strap. Practicality remains central to this classic. To achieve this, Cartier enchanced its performance with a high-efficiency quartz movement featuring an autonimity twice as long as traditional movements. The Santos-Dumont model is available in two different sizes and three shades in hues of rose gold and steel.

Sumo and the three boys from Pasadena

The Helmut Newton Foundation unveils its new exhibition, combining the photographic work ''SUMO'' of Helmut Newton, his private collection, developed with his wife June Newtown and Three Boys From Pasadena by his three apprentices Mark Arbeit, George Holz and Just Loomis.

Newton’s masterpiece SUMO was created 20 years ago and first exhibited a decade later. Consisting of 400 iconic images, from the genres fashion, portraiture and nudes in black and white and colour, they include, to only mention a few, his famous portraits of artists like Salvadór Dalí and Andy Warhol as well as his work for various magazines, like Vogue or Vanity Fair.

His three apprentices augment their Three Boys From Pasadena, created ten years ago, with new works. The additions are a combination of life-sized photograms of models by Mark Areit, Hollywood portraits of legends by George Holz and intimate ‘Backstage’ works, showcasing the hidden, less glamorous facets of fashion, by Just Loomis.

Furthermore, we are offered an insight into the couple’s exquisite photo collection, featuring 50 valuable vintage prints in original frame of the 20th century’s most influential and important photographers.